BBC World Service documentary - "The Flying Colombians"

Now we have something / quite-a-lot to discuss and celebrate.
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Boring_Username
Posts: 204
Joined: 2 Mar 2017, 2:38pm

BBC World Service documentary - "The Flying Colombians"

Post by Boring_Username »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csvnyk

The Flying Colombians
The Documentary

Colombia is a country of passionate cyclists. The first bike races took place in Bogota in 1894 and by 1898 it was one of the first countries to have two purpose built velodromes. In the 1950s the great Vuelta a Colombia, a tour of Colombia, was born - 35 cyclists covered an extraordinary 779 miles in 10 stages. All over the country people listened to the commentary on radios and it began to link up Colombians in a common cause.

This is more than just a sporting event. The first Tour took place just two years after the assassination in 1948 of Liberal party leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, which was the catalyst for a bloody sectarian conflict between Liberals and Conservatives, creating deep, violent divisions especially in rural areas. The first Tour was thus promoted as a sign of peace and goodwill, reconnecting the country and reaching into rural communities. Through the turbulent decades that have followed, the Tour has continued to go through parts of Colombia that rarely receive any attention.

We join the annual Vuelta a Colombia, cycling the mountains, cities and villages, to find a totally different perspective on the country. This is an event which brings Colombia to a standstill - that is unless you are on two wheels.
Des49
Posts: 799
Joined: 2 Dec 2014, 11:45am

Re: BBC World Service documentary - "The Flying Colombians"

Post by Des49 »

Thanks, I found this a good listen.
ianrobo
Posts: 512
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 9:52pm

Re: BBC World Service documentary - "The Flying Colombians"

Post by ianrobo »

of course lets just not mention the mass CERA and EPO doping that clearly Anti Doping and UCI were tipped off about :-)
Tangled Metal
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Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm

Re: BBC World Service documentary - "The Flying Colombians"

Post by Tangled Metal »

Columbia is a surprisingly enlightened country wrt cycling at times Bogota often closes the main road through the city for motorised vehicles I believe, only allowing cyclists to use it. When this happens (it might even be every Sunday) the road is full of cyclists. Families riding together, groups and individuals. It's a big family thing though I heard from someone who lives there.

I was amazed when I was told about this. Then I met two Columbians over here and they thought it was safer to ride over there. Or at least they felt safer in Columbia. Doesn't that surprise you? And shame you a little.
Zoncolan
Posts: 7
Joined: 29 Apr 2018, 6:43pm

Re: BBC World Service documentary - "The Flying Colombians"

Post by Zoncolan »

Thanks for highlighting this - really appreciated. Z
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