Four years ago, Egan Bernal left the comfortable surroundings of his hometown Zipaquira, northeast of Bogota, to sign for Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec.
It was an opportunity to kick-start a career in professional cycling, and the money on offer would be life-changing to his poor family.
Little did the Bernals know Egan would progress into the best rider in the world, his tremendous power and calmness culminating in Tour de France glory last year.
It wasn’t meant to be that way, though.
When he was younger, his father German, a former amateur cyclist, would send him on long rides around Zipaquira on a heavy yellow bike.
German did it to try and discourage his son from following in his footsteps.
But, instead of diminishing Egan’s interest, it only intensified his passion for the sport.
Within two years at the Italian second-tier outfit, Bernal’s stock rose and he began to attract interest from the elite World Tour.
A quintet of teams wanted to secure his signature at one point. Team Sky and Movistar Team were potential suitors, teams at the pinnacle of the sport.
At Movistar, he would be among fellow Spanish speakers.
A home away from home. Easy company and a chance to improve further in a strong squad.
At Team Sky, he would be surrounded by multiple Grand Tour winners. The move might be too big for him.
Harder, too, because of his lack of English.
But for any sports star, when the opportunity arises to join an elite side, you have to grasp it. It might never happen again.
Since joining Team Sky in 2018, Bernal has progressed into the role of Tour captain based on his power, relaxed nature on and off the bike, and winning performances.
He was the team’s strongest domestique and contributed to Geraint Thomas’s victory at 2018’s Tour de France.
Last year, the roles reversed as Bernal clinched Tour success following several fierce attacks in the Alps.
Bernal is only 23 and just a few days away from defending his Tour de France crown, which gets under way in Nice on Saturday.
He is favourite to win a second-successive title and one of the main reasons why an ageing Chris Froome will depart Team Ineos at the end of the year.
Compatriots Rigoberto Uran and Nairo Quintana endure celebrity status in Colombia, but Bernal keeps a low profile.
Although his 2019 Tour de France win saw his levels of fame rise, Bernal has stayed out of the limelight, keeping focus instead on his training and racing.
Every season presents different challenges and this year will be no different, coming in as favourite and defending champion.
With the shock omissions of Froome and Thomas from the Ineos squad, Bernal will be accompanied by 2019 Giro d’Italia champion Richard Carapaz.
Bernal’s only weak point would be the time trial, on stage 20 this year. But a mountainous route plays to his greatest strength.
With Carapaz in support, Ineos possess a glittering second option, given there is always a potential for injury or, on the off chance, if Bernal does not perform to his best.
Although he shone at the Route d’Occitanie in June, the first race since the Coronavirus interruption, things have not gone to plan since.
He was a distant second-best to Primoz Roglic at Tour de l’Ain earlier this month, and then slipped further off the pace at the Criterium du Dauphine last week.
A back injury ruled him out of the final two stages. Team Ineos, though, insisted that his withdrawal was only a precaution.
Nevertheless, Ineos are still the team to beat at this year’s Tour, having won seven of the past eight editions of the race with four different riders, unprecedented in cycling history.
And whether Bernal can recapture his sparkling form or not over the next three weeks, Sir David Brailsford and Co clearly believe the future belongs to the Zipaquira native.
With no Froome or Thomas to battle with for joint-leadership status, an unshackled Bernal may fly even higher this year.
