The historical leaders of Chillan bike cross applauded the investment made by the Municipality of Chillán to contribute to the construction and prompt inauguration of the new international BMX track, in the heart of the Quilamapu Sports Complex and which will be held on April 19, 20 and 21 , the third and fourth date of the Copa Chile 2024 National Bicicross Championship.
“I was one of the first bike riders and founder of the Chillán Bike Cross Club along with my deceased father, Doctor Jaime Lama. I am happy to see the reconstruction and remodeling of this great international bike cross track, thanks to the Municipality of Chillán and the management of Mayor Camilo Benavente, along with other entities that supported this project. It will be a great milestone to form a new hotbed of bike riders,” confessed Jaime Lama, the first bike cross exponent to win a date in 1980.
“The other day I went to see the new track and I cried with emotion. It is wonderful that this is coming true, it was the dream of many of us who raced bike cross. It was unthinkable in our time to have a track of this level. When we ran we stole light from the street lights to run at night. That is why I am super grateful to the Municipality of Chillán, which since my father died, gave up the land, named the track following my old man (Juan Carlos Nicoletta), and now generated resources to allocate them to a sport that has given many champions to Chillán at all levels.”, narrated the three-time world champion, Angelines Nicoletta.
Track for everyone
The bike rider Fernando Pulido, who brought glory to Ñuble bike cross, between 1989 and 2005, racing twice as a world finalist, two-time continental champion and multiple continental champion in experts and cruisers, applauded the work.
“I think it’s fabulous that they have built a track of this level that only Peñalolén had. It will make the sport take off, so that many more join this discipline. I thank the municipality of Chillán for the effort, because it has been a long road and we thought that the project would fail, but the dream is already there,” he declared.
Francisco Alveal, BMX coach for almost 25 years in Chillán, trainer of the Bicicross Workshop of the municipality of Chillán, emphasized that “this work fulfills a dream that we have had for years. International tournaments can be held such as the Pan American 2024. It will also be open for municipal workshops,” he stressed. Marcela Bengoa, former bike cross leader, declared that “I feel great joy for this great project that the Municipality of Chillán carried out with other entities. It exalts and gives rise to the sport. We always remember those moments that we lived as a family with our children.”
The former driver and current coach, Sergio “Keko” Millas, who shone in Chile and abroad, confessed that “it will be a contribution to Chilean and South American bike cross. The track has generated many expectations, as it has an updated and friendly design.”
The track, built at the dawn of the 80’s, following the management of the first president of the local club, Juan Eduardo Iturriaga, took the name “Juan Carlos Nicoletta”, in 1996, following the father of Angelines, three-time world champion, died. in a car accident.
The investment for its current face was Th$1,591,342, resources contributed by the Municipality of Chillán, the National Sports Institute (IND), and the Regional Government of Ñuble.
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