Nairo Quintana opened up against unscrupulous agents and managers who try to profit from the hopes of young Colombians by trying to get them to sign contracts to go to Europe at a young age.

Colombia has a strong cycling culture, but to succeed professionally, athletes need to travel to Europe and race for teams in the cycling capital.

After riders like Quintana and Rigoberto Urán sparked a new wave of Colombian World Tour pros over the last decade or so, more agents, scouts, and managers are seeking new talent in Colombia. According to Quintana, some of them are giving false hope to teenagers who are trying to get rich off the potential future stars.

"I don't know what to call these kinds of people, but there are now people who take 15- to 17-year-olds to Europe and offer to sign them up with their parents' permission," Quintana said on the podcast "El Leñero" (opens in new tab).

"They say they are the ones who signed players like Nairo, Egan (Berna), Ivan Sosa, and Rigoberto and took them to Europe.

"The opportunists and cunning people who taunt the Colombian cycling community sign children, separate them from their families, torment them, and cheat them. They sign many riders and see which ones are useful and which ones are not. Their price is only a piece of paper, but it is far greater for the affected players."

Quintana warned that while athletes like Egan Bernal, the first Colombian Tour de France champion and the youngest winner in over 100 years, are the poster children for the new generation, more and more athletes are falling through the cracks.

"These people come in and say they can take you to Europe at 15 or 16. They put them in basements in different countries, feed them terrible food, make them live terrible lives, make them suffer, have a lot of psychological problems, give up cycling, give up everything. Many of the athletes who have returned to Colombia have not done well and have fallen behind.

"As a 15-year-old kid, in Italy, not knowing the language, what do you do?"

"I have heard of Colombians (in sports in general) selling marijuana and stealing. But what are these kids supposed to do when they get to Italy? They are fed like dogs, one day yes, the next day no. [It's a reality that many kids who are looking for a dream and a future face. It's not good for the country and it's not good for the sport."

Quintana referred to teenagers signing long-term contracts and the buyout clauses that can be inserted if a World Tour team approaches them.

"Players who are 15, 16, 17 years old are signing five-year contracts. Why do we need five-year contracts? It makes more sense to give them contracts until they are adults and then reconsider," Quintana said.

"Some kids think they can go from junior to the Tour de France, but that's not true. Egan Bernal is the only exception in history. They are fooled by what they are told and promised."

Quintana is involved in youth cycling development in Colombia, particularly in his native Boyaca. His advice centers on patience.

"I tell them to stay calm. We know the right people, the right team, and we can advise them without any problems." [He should stay here at least until his second year in the U23s, so he has time to improve and finish school. Then you can step up.