Severe allegations
Did an ex-cycling star disappear four people?
04/22/2025 – 2:19 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
In 1987 the winner was called Vuelta A España Luis Herrera. The Colombian had arrived at the peak of his career. Almost 40 years later, he threatens prison.
From world-class cyclist to a criminal? This question is currently in the room with Colombian Luis Alberto Herrera. At least two imprisoned ex-paramilitaries claim that Herrera is involved in the disappearance of four farmers in Colombia. According to the EFE news agency, the public prosecutor ordered an investigation of the property of the Vuelta a España winner from 1987, including excavation in the garden.
The inmates, on the statements of which the investigation were based, claimed that “Lucho” Herrera asked in 2002 a peasant militia from the Casanare region to drive or kill four people from its neighborhood that were part of the guerrilla.
“He offered me something to drink and gave me two envelopes. In one there were four pictures of people, in which 40 million Colombian peso (the equivalent of 8,100 euros) from which we should get pistols and motorcycles. People lived next to his property,” said one of the two ex-paramilitar according to the report.
Herrera, on the other hand, denies the crime. The former world-class cyclist emphasized: “I have never heard of a criminal association and have never tried to harm anyone. I devoted my life to sport and honestly worked after my resignation from professional cycling.”
He respects the role of the media and the law of citizens on information. “Therefore, I am ready to submit public explanations as soon as I know exactly and exactly what allegations I have been made by people I do not know so that I can prove my complete innocence,” added the 63-year-old.
Herrera said that as a businessman, the victim of blackmail and threats of kidnapping. The current allegations would also fall into this category.
In his time as a athlete, he had no struggle with such allegations. Herrera was one of the world’s best cyclists in the middle of the 1980s. In July 1984 he was the first Latin American cyclist to win a stage of the Tour de France. Success in the mountain ranking, other tour stages or stages of the Giro d’Italia should follow. He celebrated the greatest triumph in 1987 with the overall victory of Vuelta a España.