The job outlook for 33 year-old Nairo Quintana on the WorldTour stage remains grim six months after he tested positive for Tramadol, was terminated from his French Arkéa Samsic team and then disqualified from the Tour de France, but his career as a gran fondo promoter looks quite promising.

After all, there are bills to be paid.

This week the champion of the 2014 Giro d’Italia announced his Gran Fondo de Nairo amateur series will return to Mexico in 2023 for a second edition.

“Ready to shoot at @gfnairomexico in 2023,” he posted on Instagram.

The event will be held from 27 – 29 October, with the official route to-be-announced.

The 2022 Gran Fondo de Nairo Mexico, won by pro Guillermo Guardian Beltran, attracted over 1400 cyclists to the city of San Luis de Potosi and generated 25 million pesos of economic (~$1.3MM USD), enough to encourage Mayor Galindo Ceballos to sign a new agreement with Quintana to bring the event back in 2023, hopefully attracting upwards of 3000 riders.

“I thank Nairo for coming to the capital of Potosi to make together the announcement that we reaffirm the great alliance we have with him, to tell him that this second edition of the Grand Fondo is confirmed,” said Ceballos.

After 3000 riders participated in Quintana’s trademark Gran Fondo de Nairo Colombia event in November 2022 he also plans to organize the amateur race again in 2023, possibly in the capital of Bogata, though a date has not been confirmed.

“We know that there is a lot of passion for sport and mainly for cycling and why not make a Nairo Quintana [fondo] in Bogotá,” he told CityTv.

Gran Fondo de Nairo Mexico information HERE.

Gran Fondo de Nairo Colombia information HERE.

Photos: Gran Fondo de Nairo