Don’t miss your favourite Colombian sportsperson in action with our guide to all upcoming events
Sick of finding out about the big sporting events only after they’ve happened? This new section features all the Colombian sports highlights of the weeks ahead, so sit tight for a month of excitement with Freek Huigen’s guide to those unmissable moments.
Right now, Nairo Quintana is on his bike with one goal in mind: winning the pink jersey in Milan on May 28. Shadowed by his companion with the catchiest name in sport, Winner Anacona, he is looking to take his second Giro d’Italia title in the 100th edition of this Grand Tour. And Nairo’s not the only cyclist to watch – we have already seen that Fernando Gaviria is on form for another stage victory.
If you are more into football than cycling, don’t miss the Champions League final on June 3, that could have two Colombians facing each other (at the time of going to print, it’s not known who will take the two coveted spots). Both Monaco’s Radamel Falcao and Juventus’ Juan Guillermo Cuadrado are in with a chance of being in their first Champions League final and could face Real Madrid’s James Rodríguez. Closer to home, Colombia is reaching the final stages of the regular season of the Liga Águila. The final round of the regular season takes place on May 28, with the quarter finals starting immediately after, on May 31.
Los Cafeteros have played plenty of friendlies versus weaker teams like Jordan, Kuwait, Haiti and Honduras, so José Pékerman requested some serious opposition for the June friendlies. And serious it will be! Colombia will face Spain on June 7 and Portugal on June 12.
Yuberjen Martínez will also be coming into the boxing ring again, as Colombia Heroicos is up against Italia Thunder in the quarterfinals. On May 13, five bouts will take place in Italy, while the Coliseo Cubierto Ramón Elías López in Palmira will host the other five in the return contest on May 19. The Heroicos have already made a big impression in their maiden World Series of Boxing, and are going into this tie as favourites for a spot in the semifinals.
Mariana Pajón returned to the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup stage last week with a second place in the Netherlands and will compete in Belgium on May 13 and 14. Olympic champion Caterine Ibargüen is back in the Diamond League series in Rome on June 8 in her first official triple jump competition from this year.
Carlos Muñoz, who hasn’t had a good start to the IndyCar series season, will try to improve last year’s second place in the Indy 500, the most important race of the season, on May 28. Roland Garros will start on the same day, where a close eye should be kept on Juan Sebastián Cabal and Robert Farah playing on their favourite surface.
