Ana Montegro passed away today, a solid and always smiling woman who had made many sacrifices in her life to help her son Richard Carapaz become a professional cyclist. Tomorrow, the Ecuadorian champion would have made his seasonal debut at Ses Salines in Spain, but Richard is in Ecuador, close to his family, struck by the loss of his mother.

The news of Mrs. Montegro's passing appeared in all Ecuadorian newspapers, not only because she was the mother of the country's most famous athlete, but because her joyful character had earned her a special place in the hearts of many fans. Everyone remembers when she told of taking her first airplane flight to Verona to celebrate her son's Giro d'Italia victory.

Just like the images where she proudly showed the first bicycle that she and her husband had bought for Richard when he was little. Ana Montegro had become a point of reference for all journalists who visited Carchi, because she welcomed them all into her home and made them sit and eat with her family.

Richard Carapaz had always been very close to his family and his mother, who was a great reference point for him, always encouraging and pushing him forward even when things weren't going well. Richard Carapaz wanted to say goodbye to his mother with a touching message posted on social media, remembering the strong bond that always united them. "My love for you has existed since I can remember and will last until my existence reunites with yours. I LOVE YOU MOM"