"I was able to inspire an entire country" - Rigoberto Uran bids farewell to professional cycling in front of thousands of adoring fans in Medellin

Few riders have been able to break into the wider public consciousness such as Rigoberto Uran has done in his homeland of Colombia over the course of his near two decade spell in the professional peloton. At the end of 2024 though, that professional cycling career comes to an end.

Bidding farewell to the sport in which he made his name, Uran held a ceremony back home in Medellin that saw around 8,000 of his loyal supporters cram into the Atanasio Girardot stadium to send Uran their well wishes. Among those in attendance were also some notable names from the cycling world such as Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez, plus the city's mayor, who gifted the Colombian cycling icon the Gold Category Medal.

"This is a very special moment for any cyclist. I couldn't do it in the Vuelta a Espana (Uran crashed out of his final Grand Tour on stage 6 ed.), but God knows how to do things. Today in Medellín, in front of all my people and the participants of the Giro de Rigo, witnesses of what is going to happen, I am giving up cycling professionally. I just want to say: Thank you, bicycle. Thanks to you I was able to achieve a lot, I was able to support my family, I was able to fight and inspire an entire country," said an emotional Uran at the ceremony, in quotes collected by Marca.

A two-time Giro d'Italia runner-up, Uran also finished 2nd overall to Chris Froome at the 2017 Tour de France. With Grand Tour stage victories to his name from all three of cycling's biggest races, Uran ends his career with a very impressive palmares including a total of 14 victories and 25 Grand Tour appearances.

"I never imagined that a career like this was possible, you are a phenomenon. You knew that you were going to be happy when you came across him in the peloton," Rodriguez commented warmly, whilst Valverde also shared some nice words: "Being with him has always been a joy . What he has given to this country has been enormous."