'We're in a hole': Why has Colombia stopped producing Grand Tour winners?
Once cycling's great mountain fliers, Colombia's top riders now appear to have had their wings clipped. CW's Latin American correspondent asks why
Colombia's success in the Grand Tours has waned recently, with only 11 active riders in the World Tour as of 2026, down from a peak of 22 in 2021. The golden generation of Colombian cyclists, including Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán, and Esteban Chaves, achieved numerous victories and podium finishes in the Grand Tours between 2010 and 2021.
Quintana, the defining rider of this era, announced his retirement at the end of the 2026 Tour de France, marking the beginning of a decline in Colombian cycling. Former head coach Luis Fernando Saldarriaga attributes the decline to the lack of a structured development program for new riders. He emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive system that includes sports science, talent identification, and racecraft development, as seen in Colombia es Pasión, the program responsible for the golden generation's success.
Doping remains a persistent issue in Colombian cycling, with the country frequently appearing on World Anti-Doping Agency lists. Despite the achievements of the golden generation and the promise of young talent, Colombia has yet to replicate the success of the past, as no new wave of winners has emerged since Bernal's Tour de France victory in 2021.
Written by urgent.news from Cycling Weekly's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
