‘Results always come if you do things right’ – Pescador embraces Colombia’s expectations as Movistar rebuilds

It's a lot to carry, and Diego Pescador (Movistar) doesn't pretend otherwise. Speaking to Marca, he acknowledged the weight of expectation that comes with wearing the Colombian jersey in an era when his country's Grand Tour victories have dried up.

"It's always a bit of a burden to carry the hopes of so many Colombians after a rather long drought," he admitted to Marca at the Challenge Mallorca Series. "It's no small pressure."

The contrast with a decade ago is stark. Back then, Colombia dominated at the highest level. Nairo Quintana won the 2014 Giro d'Italia and 2016 Vuelta a España while also reaching the Tour de France podium twice. Egan Bernal delivered the country's first Tour title in 2019. Rigoberto Urán was a constant presence in the fight for Grand Tour glory with three second-place finishes. 

But in recent years, those headline results have become scarce, leaving the next generation to search for the breakthrough that restores Colombia's place among the elite. Rather than buckling under that expectation, Pescador is choosing to embrace it.

"I think it's a bump in the road like any other, and I feel happy to be part of that initial group to get back to what Colombia was a few years ago in high-level cycling," he says.

His team is on a similar journey. Movistar, which once built everything around its world-class riders such as Alejandro Valverde and the aforementioned Quintana, has recalibrated its approach. The focus now is on nurturing young talent, building cohesion, and trusting the process rather than chasing immediate results.

"The team is incredibly motivated; above all, it's about maintaining a calm demeanour," Pescador notes.

Pescador, meanwhile, has enjoyed a fine start to the 2026 season, which began with a bang, cruelly pipped to the line at the Classica Camp de Morvedre by Christian Scaroni, whilst being involved in the main action in the Challenge Mallorca series, where Pescador's best result was a 9th-placed finish in Trofeo Andratx - Pollença, which was won by Remco Evenepoel.

In his second year at Movistar, after transferring from Colombian Continental outfit GW Erco Shimano for the 2025 season, Pescador will be aiming to go on and take the first professional victory of his career, building on numerous impressive performances in which the talent has already displayed.