Climber will be helped as he recovers from Tour de Suisse crash
As Mauricio Soler celebrates Christmas at home with his family, the long, difficult months in hospital in Europe behind him, the Movistar rider has been given reassurances by Colombia’s sports body that it will support him as he strives to make a full recovery.
The Coleportes body, which sponsors the new Colombia Coldeportes Pro Continental team, has told Soler of its backing. The statement was made by the director of the administrative department, and will be a big relief for a rider who was suddenly sidelined and almost killed by a bad crash during the Tour de Suisse in June. Soler completed another step in his recovery last week when he arrived home in Bogota. He was greeted by his family, large crowds and sports media at the airport there. Asked if he planned to return to racing, he said it was far too soon to know. “My future in cycling is uncertain now,” he explained then. “I just want to recover and the rest will follow.”
The 28 year old will work on that recovery in the Teletón Clinic in Bogota.
The high point of Soler’s career came in 2007 when he took a stage of the Tour de France and won the King of Mountains competition. He experienced several frustrating seasons after that due to injury, but returned to strong form when he won a stage of this year’s Tour de Suisse. Unfortunately his crash prevented him from leading the Movistar team in the Tour de France.
It’s possible that he won’t race again but if his recovery does progress sufficiently, Coldeportes’ support could in theory extend to placing him on its team. It also has a Continental squad and this could be an intermediate path back.
Either way, what’s important though is that his country’s government has committed to looking after him.