Colombian cyclists, very good climbers, can count on their many supporters. Meeting with one of them this morning: Hugo Vargas, also Paralympic cyclist and craftsman.
From our special correspondent in Lourdes on the Tour route,
He handles the pliers like a bicycle. Leaning against the wall of a village in the Pyrenees, Hugo Vargas twists and assembles wires:
” I have several models. This one is worth 10 euros… that one 20… And the one in yellow like the Tour jersey costs 25 euros. »
On a carpet in front of him, small figures on bicycles, one-legged, like him.
” When I was 14 I lost my leg in a motorcycle accident. At the time I was already a cyclist. This drama changed my life, but I was able to get back on the bike with only one leg. Today I travel all over the world, I have the freedom to do that. I move slowly but I can enjoy on my bike “, he explains.
Born in Colombia, life in Venezuela… on his jersey, the two flags coexist. But it is indeed the runners of his native country that he supports:
” I’m a huge fan of everyone. Nairito is a friend of mine… Bernal, Uran… I know them all, but my favorite is Nairo Quintana “.
Already eleven stages that Hugo Vargas walks on this Tour. At 55, from the Spanish city of Santander to the French Pyrenees, he is not about to stop riding.
► Also to be found: the previous postcards of the Tour de France