Santiago Buitrago Sánchez (Bogotá, 1999) is in his seventh WorldTour season with Bahrain-Victorious. The Colombian has become one of the strongest riders in the peloton, a reference point in his home country, and a key pillar of his team. He enters the Giro d’Italia as the leader of the Bahrain-Victorious squad, aiming for a strong overall classification while also eyeing a stage win. He spoke to us from Bulgaria, where this year’s edition begins, about his expectations, the future, and notable names in the race.
On his first days in Bulgaria, he said: “Very good, very happy, honestly. It’s nice that the Giro changes locations a lot. We’ve been here for three days, riding with my teammates. It’s a beautiful new experience.”
Reflecting on the first four months of the season, he added: “It’s been a long season, starting in January with Australia and leading up to the Giro. There have been ups and downs, but I got a personal victory, and I’m very happy about that. My last race in Liège fell short, but the calendar was well-planned. I worked hard with two altitude camps in Colombia, and I think we arrive in very good form, full of motivation.”
Buitrago also spoke about his strong connection to Italy, where he has won stages in the Giro before (2022 and 2023): “Italy has always been a country I really like. The people welcomed me very well, and I have my second family there. I enjoy racing there, and it has always brought me good things. Hopefully, this Giro is no exception.”
Returning to the race after two years,
