Colombian veteran Rigoberto Urán last competed in a bicycle race when he crashed in the first week of this year's Vuelta a España with a broken hip.

But if he has anything to do with it, the next major sporting event that the soon-to-retire Uran (EF Education-EasyPost) will be participating in may be of a completely different kind: the soccer field.

In a lengthy interview with El Colombiano, the 37-year-old racer revealed that his next career goal is to become a professional soccer player, a dream that “will never come true.”

Uran was also recently the subject of a very popular TV soap opera, Rigo, about his tumultuous life. The final decision will be announced at the 52nd International Emmy Awards Gala in New York City on November 25.

As for his own goals, Uran told El Colombiano newspaper, “I intend to devote myself to professional soccer.

“I can only say that it is crazy that ‘Rigo’ was nominated for an Emmy, but my goal is professional soccer. I have nothing to lose and you know I'm off the rails, but I like to try things,” he laughed.

Uran, who has twice finished second in the Giro d'Italia (2013, 2014), once in the Tour de France (2017), and won stages in all three Grand Tours, was with Tenax, a small Italian team of Irish nationality, in 2006 when he was only 19 Asked about his long career, which began in 2006 when he was just 19 years old with Tenax, a small Irish national team, he said.

At the time, Uran, like many others from his country, was being mentored by the late Colombian cycling star Marlon Perez, who had recently died tragically in a violent incident in the town of Carmen de Vivolar.

“He was a great friend, he was the one who helped me go to Europe through my Italian manager Guiseppe Acquadro, and I lived with him [Perez] for a year and a half, and I'm glad I wasn't alone, because he was a great friend, he was a great mentor to me. If you don't live with your compatriots, you're going to get into some trouble,” Uran recalled of his early days as a professional.

For Uran, who has moved through multiple teams from Unibet to Caisse d'Epargne, Sky, and Quick Step, his best chance at a Grand Tour win almost certainly came in 2014 when he lost to fellow Colombian star Nairo Quintana at the Giro d'Italia. Quintana's lead on the snow-covered descent of the Stelvio had pushed Uran out of the overall lead.

Uran insisted that he had no hard feelings toward Quintana for the day's events, blaming himself more than anyone else, saying, “I think everyone has to take advantage of their opportunities. I have so much faith and I believe that everyone will act the same way I did.”

“But the truth is, when you have competition, you can't trust like that. You can't be sure of anything until you cross the finish line."

”I'm not sure how to be sure of anything until I've crossed the finish line.

“I don't blame Nairo because a race is a race. There were mistakes in the Giro, mistakes in the race organization. He made the most of it and did very well. So I don't have any bitterness and I don't talk about it. If you are not careful, you will lose.”

In his interview, Urán confirmed that he had no hard feelings toward Quintana by naming him as one of Colombia's modern greats, along with Tour de France and Giro d'Italia winner Egan Bernal. But, as one might expect, he also singled out Tadey Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates), saying, “I have never seen a rider like him in my life, and I am very proud of him.

Nevertheless, Uran questioned whether current stars like Remco Evenpole (Sudar-Quickstep) and Pogachar could reach his age and still crush their opponents as well as they do today.

“It's impossible. They have been training at a high level since they were 14 years old, on a special diet and with great sacrifice. I would love to see it happen, but I don't think it will,” he said.

His own departure was not ideal, but in an interview with “El Colombiano” magazine he said, “Fortunately, it didn't turn out to be important.

“I've been building up to retirement for years and have gained a lot of recognition from riders, organizers, and the public. I had planned to end my career in Madrid [Vuelta], but I had a lot of support from my family, my team, my friends, and I have been in this sport for 20 years and in that time I have done everything. So I feel at peace with myself.”