BOTERO FACTFILE DOB: 27/10/1972 Nationality: Colombian Best Tour: Fourth overall - 2001 |
Santiago Botero has been let down in the Tour de France in the past by a lack of support by his team. Although Kelme have always boasted great climbers, the Colombian has never had anything like the support of Lance Armstrong's team to coax him up the tougher mountains.
Understandably, perhaps, in a bid to break, he signed for Team Telekom.
Aside from Armstrong, few riders are more meticulous in their preparation for the Tour than Botero.
He spends long periods of time training at altitude in his home country.
A great climber - he clinched a superb mountain stage win - he is also one of the few riders who can match Armstrong in a time trial.
Remarkably he beat the Texan in the first race against the clock at last year's event.
Like many of his rivals he is regularly let down by the odd off day and will have to go some distance to cut the 13-minute advantage Armstrong had over him last time around.
Last year's fourth place was an improvement on his previous best sixth in 2000 when he also won the King of the Mountains jersey.
A place on the podium come the Champs Elysee is surely the immediate goal.
Armstrong on Botero: "There are other serious contenders like Santiago Botero, who I have not seen race this year. His Telekom team looks strong but will have to decide who does what." 
MMIX
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