High-altitude stage racing in the Colombian Andes
Tour Colombia
Tour Colombia brings European-level stage racing to the thin air and steep gradients of the Andes, where altitude decides as much as form.
- Location
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- When
- Early February
- Course
- Stage Race
- Most recent winner
- 🇨🇴 Rodrigo Contreras (2024)
- Also known as
- Tour Colombia 2.1
- Category
- Men’s Continental
About Tour Colombia
Tour Colombia is a multi-day cycling stage race held in Colombia, typically in February. The route features high-altitude climbing stages across the Andean cordillera, offering one of the season's earliest tests of stage-race form in rarefied air.
Also known as: Tour Colombia 2.1
Egan Bernal, Miguel Ángel López, and Sergio Higuita have all won this race on home soil since its 2018 debut.
This is where climbing form meets altitude reality. The race unfolds at elevations that turn manageable gradients into lung-burning efforts, and the February calendar slot makes it one of the first genuine stage-race contests of the season. Colombian crowds pack the mountain roads, and the racing reflects both local climbing tradition and the growing international depth of the continental calendar.
Tour Colombia winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 🇨🇴Rodrigo Contreras |
| 2020 | 🇨🇴Sergio Higuita |
| 2019 | 🇨🇴Miguel Angel Lopez |
| 2018 | 🇨🇴Egan Bernal |
2026 edition canceled
Tour Colombia was not held in 2026. The Colombian Cycling Federation, which organizes the race, said it did not have the money to run it at the level the UCI requires. The race is on the UCI calendar again for January 26 to 31, 2027.
Tour Colombia route
The race is typically decided in the mountains, where stages climb into the Andean highlands at elevations that can exceed 3,000 meters. Altitude becomes the defining variable, turning steady climbs into selection points and rewarding riders who can process oxygen efficiently in thin air. Time gaps open on the longer mountain stages, and the general classification is usually settled by whoever can sustain power at elevation rather than by a single explosive move. Flat or rolling stages exist, but they serve mainly as recovery days between the climbing tests. The race rewards stage-race completeness, climbers who can time trial reasonably well, and anyone who has spent enough time at altitude to avoid the physiological penalty that catches riders arriving from sea level.
What shapes the race
Race type
Six-day stage race through Colombia, a showcase for Colombian climbing talent at altitude.
Altitude factor
Stages at 2,600m and above test altitude adaptation and oxygen efficiency.
Typical winner
A Colombian climber who thrives at altitude, or a foreign GC rider who can adapt to the thin air.
Signature landmarks
The Colombian Andes at altitude.
- Terrain
Colombian Andes
High-altitude roads through the Andes provide the defining climbing challenge.
- Climb
Alto de las Palmas
A signature Colombian climb near Medellin used in multiple editions.
History
Memorable editions
- 2018
Bernal wins before the world
Egan Bernal won the inaugural edition and went on to win the Tour de France the following year.
- 2019
Lopez dominates at altitude
Miguel Angel Lopez used his climbing strength to dominate the high-altitude stages.
Iconic victories
Egan Bernal
Won the inaugural 2018 edition before becoming a Grand Tour champion.
Sergio Higuita
Won in 2020, representing the next generation of Colombian climbing talent.
Eras and records
Colombia modern stage race, launched in 2018.
First edition
Launched in 2018 as Tour Colombia 2.1.
Colombian pride
A domestic race that showcases Colombia cycling-mad culture to the international calendar.