On a sunlit March Sunday morning, with the jade waters of the Tomine Reservoir shimmering behind the start line, Colombia made cycling history of its own kind. More than 2500 riders rolled out from Cundinamarca for the inaugural Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Ride Like a Pro Colombia – and from the very first pedal stroke, it felt like something the country had been waiting for its whole life.
And why not? Colombia has more than earned its place in the Giro d’Italia story. In 2014, Nairo Quintana became the first Colombian – and the first South American – to win the race overall , carrying the Maglia Rosa over the line in what felt at the time like a seismic shift in Grand Tour history.
Then came Egan Bernal. After winning the 2019 Tour de France at just 22 years old – the youngest winner in over a century – Bernal shifted his focus to the 2021 Giro d’Italia, conquering gravel, rain, and high mountains to claim overall victory in Milan.
Two Colombians. Two Maglia Rosas. A nation that bleeds pink.
It was that legacy that hummed through every corner, switchback and descent on 1 March. The peloton swept through Guatavita, Sesquile, Macheta, Tibirita, and Guateque in what locals called a genuine street festival – music, food, flags, and thousands of fans cheering riders onward, upward.
The Gran Fondo covered 132 km with over 1000 meters of elevation. The Medio Fondo offered 84 km for those who wanted a taste of the Giro without the full suffering. Although, the racing only took place on specific timed sectors – mostly mountainous.
GRAN FONDO – MEN OVERALL (4 sectors)
1. David Molina 1:40:18
2. Giovany Malaver Alarcon 1:40:33
3. Juan Pablo Triviño Rocha 1:40:42
GRAN FONDO – WOMEN OVERALL (4 sectors)
1. Gina Samantha Martínez Wilches 2:06:02
2. Laura Alejandra Pineros Solanno 2:10:05
3. Ana Rios Rios 2:18:13
MEDIO FONDO – MEN OVERALL (3 sectors)
1. Sebastian Corpus 1:13:24
2. David Hurtado Cárdenas 1:14:18
3. Miguel Angel Roa Quintero 1:15:33
MEDIO FONDO – WOMEN OVERALL (3 sectors)
1. Diana Sofia Sanchez Avella 1:31:42
2. Lisette Varon Carvajal 1:34:00
3. Alejandra Cadena Villamil 1:34:17
Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Ride Like a Pro is confirmed to return to Colombia through 2028.
Complete Gran Fondo Giro d’Italia Ride Like a Pro Colombia results HERE
Photo Credit: Instagram.com/granfondogiroditaliacolombia
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