Colombian rider Nairo Quintana has announced his retirement from professional cycling at a press conference ahead of the Volta a Catalunya 2026. The veteran climber will close, at the season's end, a career spanning more than 15 years at the highest level, most of it with Movistar Team, where he established himself as one of the standout climbers of his generation.
Over his career he claimed victories in two Grand Tours, multiple wins in stage races and several podiums at the Tour de France, while remaining a constant presence among the most competitive riders in the international peloton.
From his first seasons in Europe, Quintana stood out for his climbing prowess. His ability to perform on long climbs and at high altitude made him especially competitive in Grand Tours, where mountainous terrain is often decisive for the general classification. This trait shaped his racing style and defined many of his most important results.
His breakthrough at the top level came in 2013, when he finished second at the Tour de France, a result that placed him among the main contenders for Grand Tours and earned him international recognition. That same season he also took wins in stage races such as Itzulia Basque Country and the Vuelta a Burgos, consolidating his progression in the professional ranks.
Nairo Quintana’s statements
“It’s an important day for me and for all my loved ones. I’m here to tell you that this year will be the last of my career as a professional cyclist,” said Nairo Quintana at the start of an emotional press conference.
“Coming back home, to Movistar Team, was more than just a return. I want to thank every teammate, every staff member and everyone who stood behind me in tough times. Thank you for being part of this journey.”
Grand Tour triumphs
The greatest success of his career came in 2014, when he won the Giro d’Italia, becoming one of the few Colombian cyclists to claim a Grand Tour. In that edition he prevailed after a very solid final week in the mountains and also won decisive stages that allowed him to secure the overall.
Two years later, in 2016, he took victory at the Vuelta a España, sealing his second win in a three-week race. With that result he became one of the riders to reach the podium in all three Grand Tours, having also finished second at the Tour de France twice and third in another edition.
Across his career he amassed more than fifty professional wins, including general classifications in prestigious races such as Tirreno–Adriatico, the Volta a Catalunya and the Tour de Romandie, as well as stage victories at the Giro, Tour and Vuelta.
Nairo Quintana won the Giro d’Italia in 2014
A long spell at the elite level
Much of his career was tied to Movistar Team, the outfit with which he claimed most of his successes and to which he returned in recent years after racing with other teams in the international peloton. In his final spell he often took on support roles for other leaders, while maintaining a presence in top-tier competitions.
Even in the most recent seasons he continued to line up at international calendar events and stated his intention to keep competing as long as his condition allowed, while acknowledging that the end of his career was near after more than a decade at the top.
With two Grand Tours, several Tour de France podiums and dozens of stage-race victories, Quintana bids farewell to professional cycling as one of the most prominent Latin American riders of recent decades and one of the most consistent climbers of the contemporary peloton. His career was defined by his regularity in high mountains and his ability to contend for the general classification in the sport’s main tours.
Read also
All of Nairo Quintana’s victories as a professional cyclist
| Win Nº | Race | Category | Date |
| 51 | Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var | 2.1 | 2022-02-20 |
| 50 | Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var | Stage 3 | 2.1 | 2022-02-20 |
| 49 | Tour de la Provence | 2.Pro | 2022-02-13 |
| 48 | Tour de la Provence | Stage 3 | 2.Pro | 2022-02-13 |
| 47 | Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo | 2.1 | 2021-05-02 |
| 46 | Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo | Stage 1 | 2.1 | 2021-04-30 |
| 45 | Paris - Nice | Stage 7 | 2.UWT | 2020-03-14 |
| 44 | Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var | 2.1 | 2020-02-23 |
| 43 | Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var | Stage 2 | 2.1 | 2020-02-22 |
| 42 | Tour de La Provence | 2.Pro | 2020-02-16 |
| 41 | Tour de La Provence | Stage 3 | 2.Pro | 2020-02-15 |
| 40 | La Vuelta ciclista a España | Stage 2 | 2.UWT | 2019-08-25 |
| 39 | Tour de France | Stage 18 | 2.UWT | 2019-07-25 |
| 38 | Colombia 2.1 | Stage 6 | 2.1 | 2019-02-17 |
| 37 | Tour de France | Stage 17 | 2.UWT | 2018-07-25 |
| 36 | Tour de Suisse | Stage 7 | 2.UWT | 2018-06-15 |
| 35 | Giro d'Italia | Stage 9 | 2.UWT | 2017-05-14 |
| 34 | Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo | 2.1 | 2017-05-01 |
| 33 | Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo | Stage 2 | 2.1 | 2017-04-30 |
| 32 | Tirreno–Adriatico | 2.UWT | 2017-03-14 |
| 31 | Tirreno–Adriatico | Stage 4 | 2.UWT | 2017-03-11 |
| 30 | Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana | 2.1 | 2017-02-05 |
| 29 | Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana | Stage 4 | 2.1 | 2017-02-04 |
| 28 | Vuelta a España | 2.UWT | 2016-09-11 |
| 27 | Vuelta a España | Stage 10 | 2.UWT | 2016-08-29 |
| 26 | Route du Sud Cycliste - La Dépêche du Midi | 2.1 | 2016-06-19 |
| 25 | Route du Sud Cycliste - La Dépêche du Midi | Stage 3 (ITT) | 2.1 | 2016-06-17 |
| 24 | Tour de Romandie | 2.UWT | 2016-05-01 |
| 23 | Tour de Romandie | Stage 2 | 2.UWT | 2016-04-28 |
| 22 | Volta Ciclista a Catalunya | 2.UWT | 2016-03-27 |
| 21 | Tirreno–Adriatico | 2.UWT | 2015-03-17 |
| 20 | Tirreno–Adriatico | Stage 5 | 2.UWT | 2015-03-15 |
| 19 | Vuelta a Burgos | 2.HC | 2014-08-17 |
| 18 | Vuelta a Burgos | Stage 3 | 2.HC | 2014-08-15 |
| 17 | Giro d'Italia | 2.UWT | 2014-06-01 |
| 16 | Giro d'Italia | Stage 19 (ITT) | 2.UWT | 2014-05-30 |
| 15 | Giro d'Italia | Stage 16 | 2.UWT | 2014-05-27 |
| 14 | Tour de San Luis | 2.1 | 2014-01-26 |
| 13 | Tour de San Luis | Stage 4 | 2.1 | 2014-01-23 |
| 12 | Vuelta a Burgos | 2.HC | 2013-08-11 |
| 11 | Vuelta a Burgos | Stage 5 | 2.HC | 2013-08-11 |
| 10 | Tour de France | Stage 20 | WT | 2013-07-20 |
| 9 | Itzulia Basque Country | 2.UWT | 2013-04-06 |
| 8 | Itzulia Basque Country | Stage 4 | 2.UWT | 2013-04-04 |
| 7 | Volta Ciclista a Catalunya | Stage 3 | WT | 2013-03-20 |
| 6 | Giro dell'Emilia | 1.HC | 2012-10-06 |
| 5 | La Route du Sud Cycliste - La Dépêche du Midi | 2.1 | 2012-06-17 |
| 4 | La Route du Sud Cycliste - La Dépêche du Midi | Stage 3 | 2.1 | 2012-06-16 |
| 3 | Critérium du Dauphiné | Stage 6 | WT | 2012-06-09 |
| 2 | Vuelta ciclista a la region de Murcia | 2.1 | 2012-03-03 |
| 1 | Vuelta ciclista a la region de Murcia | Stage 1 | 2.1 | 2012-03-02 |
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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- What kind of sauce is on that rice? Ketchup?Kbd05-11-2026
- 18 broken bones. 78 crashes, among 30 rider per year is a lot. so for a rider over 15 seasons, they will break their bones 7-8 times and crash 38 times.abstractengineer04-11-2026
- i dont think he is ready ot win against the top 2 or the 2nd rung of evenepoel, del toro , Almeida. In the third week in the TDF he was very very defensive, no attacks. i think he was exhausted. right now he needs time not the brutal Giro or the intense TDF.abstractengineer04-11-2026
- Rota is an excellent rider to get in a break with because he always does his turnchapmanesque04-11-2026
- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
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