Nairo Quintana retires from professional cycling

Colombian professional cyclist Nairo Quintana has retired from elite competition after 15 to 17 seasons. He competed in his final professional race on October 3, 2026, at the Giro dell’Emilia in Italy.

Quintana’s career is marked by significant achievements, including winning the Giro d’Italia in 2014—becoming the first Colombian and Latin American to do so—and the Vuelta a España in 2016. He also secured three podium finishes at the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, and 2016. Throughout his career, he accumulated 53 victories, 42 of which were achieved with the Movistar Team.

Reports indicate that while his physical metrics remained stable, Quintana decided to retire due to psychological fatigue and the mental strain of high-level World Tour competition. He plans to transition into business and focus on family projects. During his final race, the international peloton honored him with a ceremonial guard of honor.