Esteban Chaves extends contract with Orica-BikeExchange

ESTEBAN Chaves has extended his contract with Orica-BikeExchange, confident he can win a maiden Grand Tour with the Australian outfit.

Esteban Chaves has extended his contract with Orica-BikeExchange.

ESTEBAN Chaves has extended his contract with Orica-BikeExchange, confident he can win a maiden Grand Tour with the Australian outfit.

Chaves, whose breakout season saw him podium at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana and win monument Il Lombardia, has re-committed to Orica until the end of 2019.

The dimunitive Colombian climber told the Herald Sun from his Andorra base that it was a “very easy decision” to extend his stay.

“I’m so happy and so thankful for this team, which has given me the opportunity and the easy way to say thank you is to work, work with discipline, work with love and try to do the best you can,” Chaves said.

“Finishing the season in this sort of form is super nice. The team won the first World Tour race (Simon Gerrans at Tour Down Under) and the last World Tour race (Il Lombardia). It’s unbelievable for me and unbelievable for the team.”

Chaves’ bubbly personality and trademark smile has seen him become a cult figure at Orica-BikeExchange. He said there was a special chemistry at Australia’s first WorldTour team that made him want to spend the rest of his career there, potentially forfeiting more money elsewhere.

“In the end, money is not what’s important,” Chaves said.

Esteban Chaves has extended his contract with Orica-BikeExchange.

“The money is, how do you say in English? Is zero. At one point it’s here and in two or three years it’s gone. What’s more important is enjoyment, happiness, following your dreams and in this organisation I can do that.

“This team is just so different from other teams. I mean, I will always think of it as one big family. Everybody, from the manager, to the riders, to the directors, the masseurs, social media and soigneurs; every single one of them give more than 100 per cent.

“The people here work with the heart and when you work with the heart you can find really good results like we’ve had this year.”

He said those results were scarcely believable, coming three years after a massive crash saw him suffer a compound fracture to his collarbone and fractures to his skull, cheekbone and sinuses.

“Sometimes I need to pinch (myself) because it’s been crazy. Three years ago if you told me this would happen I would say ‘bullshit, it’s not true’,” Chaves said.

“But this has happened because the team believe, I believe and every single person around me believe.”

Today for @SidiSport the visit of @estecharu @ORICA_BE ...muchas gracias campeon! pic.twitter.com/gR0bu1R6AP

— Sidi Sport (@SidiSport) October 3, 2016

That 2013 crash in Italy was so serious, nine out of 10 doctors told Chaves he would never ride again, but Orica saw something in a man whose character has shone under its banner.

So much so, Chaves believed a Grand Tour title was within his and the team’s grasp. Young British teammate Adam Yates was fourth in this year’s Tour de France, while Simon Yates, Jens Keukeleire and Magnus Cort Nielsen (twice) won stages at the Vuelta.

“My biggest dream is to one day win the Tour de France and I hope it comes true soon,” Chaves said.

“People told me I wouldn’t be able to lift my arm again in my life, so why not?”

Yet Chaves is determined to give back, creating a foundation in his home town of Bogota to nurture the next generation of cyclists.

“I also want to leave a legacy. In the end ... you’re living for the country, for the people, for the next generation and this is what I want to do,” he said.

“It’s important to support young people and give them the opportunity to follow their dreams.”

Originally published as Esteban Chaves extends contract with Orica-BikeExchange