Cycling Legend Nairo Quintana to Retire at the End of the 2026 Season

Nairo Quintana, the 36-year-old Colombian cyclist riding for Movistar Team, announced his retirement from professional cycling at the end of the 2026 season on Sunday, March 22, 2026, on the eve of the Tour of Catalonia. The announcement came during a press conference before the start of the race, with Quintana describing each remaining competition this year as a farewell celebration. The Colombian is a two-time Grand Tour winner, having claimed the Giro d'Italia in 2014 and the Vuelta a España in 2016. His career spans 17 seasons as a professional, during which he became one of the most celebrated climbers in the peloton. The retirement announcement marks the end of an era for Colombian cycling, a sport in which Quintana became a national symbol.

„I came to tell you that this is the last season that I am doing as a professional cyclist, each race will be a last dance.” (It is an important moment for me, for my family, for my country and for all those who have always stood by me. This is my last season as a professional cyclist. Every race I will do this year will be a great celebration, one last dance each time.) — Nairo Quintana via Mediafax

From Boyacá's mountains to cycling's highest podiums Quintana built his reputation as one of the finest climbers of his generation, earning the nickname "El Cóndor de los Andes" for his ability to attack on mountain stages. He became the first Colombian to win the Giro d'Italia, claiming the title in 2014, and added the Vuelta a España in 2016. At the Tour de France, he finished on the podium three times — second in 2013 and 2015, and third in 2016 — but never wore the yellow jersey, a goal he publicly described as his "yellow dream." He also claimed three stage victories at the Tour de France across his career. His journey from modest roots in the Boyacá region of Colombia to becoming a national idol made him a symbol far beyond the world of sport.

Nairo Quintana — Career Milestones: — ; — ; — ; — ; — ; —

Tramadol ban and doctor's conviction cast shadow on legacy Quintana's career was not without controversy, and two separate doping-related affairs marked his later years. He tested positive twice for tramadol, a substance prohibited in competition, which led to his disqualification from the 2022 Tour de France, where he had finished sixth riding for the Arkéa-Samsic team. Tramadol is classified as a prohibited substance in cycling under UCI anti-doping regulations, though it is not classified as a performance-enhancing drug in the traditional sense. Separately, an investigation launched after the 2020 Tour de France into doping suspicions surrounding Quintana concluded five years later with the conviction of his doctor for possession and administration of a prohibited substance. Quintana himself was not convicted in that case. The two affairs nonetheless complicated the public perception of a career that had otherwise been defined by extraordinary climbing ability and consistency at the sport's highest level.

Tour of Catalonia to begin Quintana's farewell season The Tour of Catalonia, known as the Volta a Catalunya, began on Monday, March 23, 2026, and serves as the opening chapter of what Quintana has framed as a season-long farewell. The Colombian rider indicated before the race that his competitive instinct remains intact, having stated in February 2026 that his ambition for the season was still to be on the podium and to win. At 36, he will compete through the remainder of the 2026 calendar before stepping away from professional racing after 17 seasons. His retirement closes a chapter in Colombian cycling history that began when he first emerged as a prodigious climbing talent and ends with him as one of the most decorated South American cyclists of his era. The peloton will lose one of its most recognizable figures when Quintana contests his final race later this year.