Who Is? December 14.12.2016, XNUMX: Second at the Giro and third at the Vuelta: Esteban Chaves has made the breakthrough to become one of the top circuit racers this season. Three years ago he was about to end his career. Suddenly Orica-BikeExchange has a ranking rider on the team. Does Esteban Chaves now have what it takes to be a Grand Tour winner?
Name | Johan Esteban Chaves Rubio | |
Birthday | 17 January 1990 | |
Place of Birth | Bogota, | |
Nationality | Colombia | |
Size | 164 cm | |
Weight | 54 kg | |
Current team | Orica Bike Exchange | |
specialization | classification driver | |
Active as an amateur | since 2009 | |
Active as a professional | since 2012 | |
Greatest successes | Two stage wins Vuelta a Espana 2015 A stage win Giro d'Italia 2016 Second Giro d'Italia 2016 Third Vuelta a Espana 2016 Winner Giro di Lombardia 2016 |
Chaves has already tried on red & pink
Esteban Chaves competed in his first Vuelta in 2014 and his first Giro the following year. But it wasn't until the 2015 Vuelta that he was able to hint at his incredible potential in a Grand Tour. He ended up fifth overall and wore the red jersey. The team management realized that they had a real gem in their own ranks. So Chaves was then nominated again this season for the two tours in Italy and Spain. His star finally rose at the Giro d'Italia. He put up a gripping fight for overall victory against Steven Kruijswijk, Alejandro Valverde and Vincenzo Nibali. After 19st stage he even wore the pink jersey, but Nibali unbuttoned it anyway. The always smiling Colombian Esteban Chaves was happy nonetheless.
Can he take on Froome & Quintana yet?
He then gave up the Tour de France to prepare for the Vuelta a Espana. But there he didn't meet any less good drivers, because with Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana the two probably best ranking drivers were at the start next to him. Chaves again put in an impressive performance and ended up third. Cycling fans now want to see this trio at the Tour as well when all three are in top form. But it will definitely happen sooner or later. Esteban Chaves has time. After all, the Colombian is only 27 years old. He is now in the best cycling age and still has his best time ahead of him. It could all have been over three years ago.
Esteban Chaves faced the end of his career in 2013
Esteban Chaves is currently experiencing the best time of his career. But the radiant man has had to live through a very dark chapter. In 2013 he fell at the Italian one-day race Trofeo Laigueglia. He broke his collarbone, jaw, inner ear bone, suffered head trauma with consequent amnesia, and tore his quadriceps. Only later did the doctors also recognize a complicated nerve injury. As a result, Chaves had to endure a nine-hour operation on his right arm. He was told he would no longer be able to race and probably never ride a bike again. But Esteban Chaves is not only a beamer, but also a real fighter. Around 15 months later he won a stage in the Tour of California and the Tour de Suisse. As a token of his gratitude, he stretches his right arm in the air whenever he wins. In 2015 and 2016 he got ample opportunity to do so.
After my accident, I was told I would never ride a bike again. That's why I stretched my arm up after the win.
In his old place of residence he writes history
After the Giro and the Vuelta, Esteban Chaves could have ended the season. He had put the most successful months of his career behind him and inspired cycling fans worldwide. But the little Colombian, whom his fans also call Chavito or El Chivo, didn't have enough. He won the Giro dell'Emilia one-day race, which was held in preparation for The Lombardy should serve. The Tour of Lombardy is traditionally the last of five monuments each season. Here in Bergamo Chaves had his home at the beginning of his career. In 2015 he was eighth. But at this year's edition he should be the strongest. Esteban Chaves launched the decisive attack himself, dragging four drivers with him. In the final sprint he kept the upper hand and won ahead of Diego Rosa and his compatriot Rigoberto Uran after almost six and a half hours of racing. Never before has a Colombian managed to win a monument of cycling.
Chaves is heading to Italy via Australia in 2017
Esteban Chaves loves Italy. He not only lived here for a few years, but also celebrated his greatest successes. He and his team, Orica-BikeExchange, have already announced that he will also be at the start of the Giro d'Italia in 2017. He doesn't want to miss the 100th edition of the Tour of Italy. He is already looking forward to the Tour de France, but he is still leaving it open when he will contest it for the first time. He still has enough time for this goal. Esteban Chaves is waiting for a route profile that suits him a little more. The diminutive Colombian is a prolific climber, as explosive as a puncheur in an uphill sprint. His weaknesses are in time trials. If Chavito can hone his skills against the clock in the years to come, his Grand Tour victory may only be a matter of time. Incidentally, he will start the 2017 season in Australia. He was nominated by his team for the Tour Down Under and the Herald Sun Tour.
#Firstbike: It's Esteban Chaves!
Did you guess correctly?
Maybe a little harder to recognize without the big smile 😁 #OBErocks pic.twitter.com/lvbOBAFopJ— ORICA BikeExchange (@ORICA_BE) 23 November 2016
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