Nairo Quintana set for farewell World Championships as he leads Colombia line-up alongside Egan Bernal in Montreal
Cycling
Colombia has finalised its representatives for the Montreal 2026 World Championships. The South American squad heads to Canada with a blend of experience, established names, and riders expected to take the lead in the coming years.
The men’s road race, scheduled for Sunday, September 27th, will feature six Colombian riders. Headlining the selection is Nairo Quintana, one of the country’s modern-era icons, who is likely approaching one of his final major international appearances.
Alongside the Movistar Team rider will be Egan Bernal and Santiago Buitrago, Colombia’s key cards to chase a high-profile result. They arrive with different profiles but the range to handle a hard, selective race.
The roster is completed by Harold Tejada, Sergio Higuita, and Brandon Rivera. The latter will also take on a second assignment, starting the individual time trial together with Walter Vargas, with Colombia holding two spots in the discipline.
Nairo Quintana, present for a special occasion
Including Nairo Quintana adds a symbolic dimension to the Colombian selection. The 36-year-old Movistar Team rider is in the closing stretch of a career that made him one of the premier climbers of his generation and the first Colombian to win both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España.
His presence in Montreal brings the Boyacá native back to the World Championships, though the team goal will take precedence over any individual ambition. Quintana also embodies the bridge between eras in Colombian cycling, having paved the way for many of today’s elite riders.

Harold Tejada and Egan Bernal
Bernal and Buitrago, Colombia’s cards for the result
Egan Bernal will be another of Colombia’s major references. The Netcompany Ineos rider arrives after an uneven season, but his ability to perform in the toughest races remains intact. His Grand Tour experience and wins at the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia make him a threat whenever the route encourages a natural selection.
Santiago Buitrago completes the core of Colombian contenders. The Bahrain Victorious rider has been one of the protagonists at the Vuelta a España 2026 and reaches the Worlds at a key point in his season.
His knack for thriving in reduced groups and attacking from range could be decisive in a race likely to reward patience and tactical reading.
Read also
Tejada, Higuita and Rivera round out the block
Harold Tejada will bring experience and work rate to the Colombian lineup. The XDS Astana rider is also racing the Vuelta a España, where he has again shown his reliability on demanding terrain. Sergio Higuita, his teammate, offers another option for a squad built with varied profiles to handle multiple race scenarios.
Brandon Rivera will complete the road race sextet and also start the individual time trial. The Netcompany Ineos rider will share that responsibility with Walter Vargas, the Colombian specialist who rounds out the national representation against the clock.
Colombia will approach Montreal with a balance of veterans and emerging leaders. Nairo Quintana brings the weight of a historic generation, while Bernal and Buitrago will shoulder much of the sporting expectation. The aim is to play the different cards in a race that may open chances for pure climbers and riders able to anticipate the final selection.
Colombia’s selections for the Montreal 2026 World Championships
| Rider | Team |
| Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team |
| Egan Bernal | Netcompany Ineos |
| Santiago Buitrago | Bahrain Victorious |
| Harold Tejada | XDS Astana |
| Sergio Higuita | XDS Astana |
| Brandon Rivera | Netcompany Ineos |
| Walter Vargas | Medellin EPM |

Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
- I'm picking .... .... Never mind 🫥flyer07-11-2026
- If Tiberi has a better and more consistent 2027 I somehow doubt it will be because of this victorious warning. Unless his preparation has been off, cycling isn't football.flyer07-11-2026
- Love this guy. He is such a pure racer.mij07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment








