From Colombia to Pennsylvania a Travel letter from Juan Carmona US National Team member and Team Captain of the 2010 Young Medalists / Team Dual Temp Elite Team.
Juan Carmona is born in Pereira, Colombia but is both US and Colombian citizen. For the last three and half years Juan has been living in the Lehigh Valley, PA with his sister, uncle and dad to pursue education and the sport of cycling. Juan finished high school this past January and is looking to an exciting season as last year junior cyclists. Now being out of school and with the Paris-Roubaix on his race calendar, Juan set course for his home town in Colombia to visit his American born mother and to get away from the wintery Pennsylvania to be able to train in good conditions outdoors for few weeks.
Here is a “travel letter” from Juan writing about his experience racing the Copa Colombia de pista in Pereira February 12-14, 2010.
One good experience!
Racing in Colombia has been a complete different mind changing experience. I just happened to be here when one of the most important track races in the country was going on, I was invited since my old friends and club support knew I had some experience on the track. I knew little about the racing in my native country, I never had the opportunity to compete in this type of event. Along with my enthusiasm came some problems, I didn’t have a bike and the local league resources were very scarce. I knew I wasn’t going you have the best bike or equipment since I had been invited to participate. The first couple of days of track training I did were a mind opening experience about the poverty and low support this young athletes have. Race time had come and prepared or not racing we were. The first event I had the opportunity to participate was the kilometer, a race I had never done before, although I knew plenty about it. I was first out of all juniors, a minute and some seconds later I had the best time although there was still the waiting time. All juniors were done and to my surprise I was still first. I had become a celebrity among the other young juniors hiding from the killer sun under our own tent. The scratch race, the points race and elimination were the group races i competed in also. A strong field, aggressiveness and good racing were some of the characteristics that accompanied these events. Being able to watch and race with people of low resources really thought me a lesson.. I really wish more of us fortunate United States citizens were able to see for ourselves what desire and the wants to succeed really are.
Cheers,
Juan Carmona
Posted on May 4, 2010
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