This Sunday, the capital of Ecuador, Quito, was the scene of the second edition of the "Giro de Italia Ride Like a Pro", a cycling event that brought together some 2,000 professional and amateur cyclists to ride through the streets and surroundings of the city. The Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana was the undisputed star of the day, conquering the hearts of participants and spectators.
Nairo Quintana, recognized champion of the 2014 Giro d'Italia, took on the challenge of the longest ride of the day, a 140-kilometer route that took participants through the most emblematic points of Quito and its surroundings, including the famous Mitad del Mundo monument. The route was divided into three distances: 90, 45 and 140 kilometers, all starting and finishing at the Bicentennial Park, located in the north of the city. The cyclists proudly wore the distinctive pink jersey of the Giro d'Italia, adding a special touch to the event.
The festive atmosphere was present in the Bicentennial Park, where a leisure area was set up for spectators and participants, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and passion for cycling. The passion and determination of the cyclists filled the city with energy as they enthusiastically pedaled through the streets of Quito.
In an exciting meeting, Nairo Quintana coincided with another Ecuadorian cycling great, Richard Carapaz, champion of the 2019 Giro d'Italia. Carapaz is currently in Ecuador to recover from an injury that kept him out of the last Tour de France. The presence of both cyclists added a touch of excitement and admiration to the day.
A day before the route, both Nairo Quintana and Richard Carapaz offered a free talk for fans, moderated by journalist Mario Sabato. This meeting was a unique opportunity for the fans to meet two of the most outstanding stars of world cycling and listen to their experiences and advice.
Nairo Quintana's participation in the event made him the godfather of this second edition of the "Giro de Italia Ride Like a Pro" in Quito. The previous year, the guest star was the renowned Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador, champion of the Giro d'Italia in 2015. The presence of these international cycling figures demonstrates the importance and attractiveness of this event in the cycling community.
The "Giro de Italia Ride Like a Pro" in Quito has proven to be a special occasion to unite cyclists of different levels and backgrounds, celebrating the shared passion for cycling and the competitive spirit. The success of this second edition leaves an exciting expectation for future editions and consolidates Quito as a prominent destination on the world cycling calendar. The city continues to open its arms to cyclists and fans, while celebrating the magic of cycling with true champions like Nairo Quintana.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
- Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
- That is a very lazy way of putting it but so far on this website it seems like everyone is happy to look at everything lazily, even things that annoy them intensely. All they want to do is state their feeling and position but ask most to analyse a problem or come up with solutions or improvements and you’re stunned by silence. Nobody even really knows how this all happens. It’s very simple and quick to just say the UCI did it but I bet you they didn’t, I bet you not more than 2 people were involved, more likely just 1. The UCI may be ultimately responsible but it is not their decision, this is about hierarchy, power and delegation. The fact that protest is possible also means it isn’t over and that MORE people could get involved for a thorough review which could throw up anything. It is highly likely it was a sole commissar who decided and has that power in a first round. Therein might lie the problem the UCI has to consider, is it acceptable to give so much authority to one single person when it is quite possible for them to have a natural bias or be too easily susceptible to imposed bias. Who is to say an individual in this position isn’t susceptible to collaboration with outside players with interests in the results, nations, families, teams, betting companies, etc. On the one hand we have sports where these problems have been worked on way more to reduce such problems, on the other hand we have sports with far stricter and more draconian rules not even concerning safety or obstruction that nobody really questions like false starts or stepping out of lane or zones in athletics. If cycling hastowork on itself, it would be good if protagonists (all kinds) would start doing a little more than just moaning over outcomes.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
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