Colombian cycling is mourning 15-year-old Nicolás Orozco Castañeda, who died on Saturday 24 October 2026 after colliding with a bus during a training ride in Risaralda.
According to local reports, the crash occurred on the road between Pereira and Cerritos, near Cerritos Mall. Orozco was riding with his father, Ricael Orozco, a former professional cyclist who now competes in Masters categories. The pair were preparing for a training race on Sunday ahead of November’s Vuelta al Futuro, a showcase event for Colombia’s junior racers.
Orozco collided with the rear of a public transport bus operated by Líneas Pereiranas. Paramedics attended the scene, but he was pronounced dead.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances. The leading hypothesis is that the bus stopped to pick up passengers at an unmarked location while the rider was travelling outside the carriageway. One local outlet reports that investigators are examining whether Orozco had left the roadway. No official findings have been published.
Orozco, from Dosquebradas, had spent four years with the Risaralda Cycling League and raced in the pre-junior category for Team PoliBikes. He was the elder of two brothers and a tenth-grade student at Institución Educativa Popular Diocesano. The league has extended its condolences to his family, friends and teammates.
Gran Fondo Daily News extends its sympathies to the Orozco Castañeda family.
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