This Sunday June 4 Colombian professional cyclist Germán Chaves died, who was filming on the roads of the department of cundinamarca, between Chocontá and Villapinzón.
Just three weeks ago Chaves had been crowned champion of the Fusagasugá Classic, ahead of his teammate Julián Cardona and the experienced Omar Mendoza.
Chaves began his career at the age of 12 in a cycling team from Tunja, Boyacá and there he demonstrated his skills in this sport.
Later, he was part of teams such as Coldeportes-Zenú and EPM Scott. Likewise, it was second in the U-23 cycling nationals time trial in 2017 and he occupied the same position in the youth classification of the Vuelta a Aragón in 2018.
Currently, he was part of the cycling ‘Team Sistecrédito’, with which he achieved his last victories.
Gabriel Jaime Vélez, the coach of the Sistecrédito team, granted EL TIEMPO, which Germán was a disciplined young man, who dedicated himself a lot to training. About the accident, he said: «The bald man was going through Chocontá, he went out to train with his father and a van took them ahead.»
Apparently, the tragic and fatal accident was the product of a microsleep on the part of the person driving the truck. The authorities inform that the facts are the subject of investigation.
In his last race, a few weeks ago in Fusagasugá, he won with a record of 6 hours, three minutes and 41 seconds, beating the riders Julian Cardona and Omar Mendoza.
At only 28 years old, the cyclist was one of the figures who could continue to reap triumphs in national cycling.
President Gustavo Petro, on the afternoon of this Sunday, expressed on his Twitter account that met the young cyclist when he served as mayor of Bogotá. He sent a condolence message to his family.
For its part, the team of the deceased cyclist published on his Instagram profile: «Friend driver, a professional cyclist is also looking for his livelihood on the road while training. To all professional and recreational athletes they are waiting for us at home. Today many celebrations went out due to imprudence, due to the lack of empathy».
Despite the fact that his father, who was with him on the ride and who was also affected, was taken to the hospital, it will take minutes later due to the severity of his injuries.
Cyclist dies after hit-and-run by tractor-trailer
In past months, a cyclist died after being hit by a hit-and-run cargo vehicle.
LUZ ANGELA DOMINGUEZ CORAL
DIGITAL SCOPE WRITING
TIME
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