In a blistering finish, Costa Rican Jason Huertas surprised the favorites and won the Pan American road race title in Montería, Córdoba. The Costa Rican cyclist claimed the gold medal after being the fastest in the sprint, following a 206.4-kilometer course run on a 16-lap circuit.
The podium for the final race of the 2026 Pan American Road Race Championships was completed by Mexican César Macías, who took the silver medal, and Argentinian Leonardo Cobarrubia, who won the bronze. Both finished with the same time as the winner, thus eliminating all the local cyclists, who were unable to give the fans who lined the streets of Montería on Sunday the joy of a final victory.
After the race, the 27-year-old Costa Rican, from Brisas de Zarcero, explained that the plan was to stay back and let Colombia control the race; At one point, one of his teammates even helped neutralize a breakaway.
“The intention was to finish strong, so I always stayed on the wheel of the Costa Rican riders Donovan Ramírez, Gabriel Rojas, and Daniel Bonilla, who were very active in keeping their teammates hydrated,” Huertas said.
“We approached the race calmly; we stayed back, we took our distance, as we say. With five kilometers to go, the Costa Rican team started working. I tried to position myself so they wouldn’t box me in. I saw an opening on the left and, in the sprint, I moved forward and went for the win, and we did it,” Huertas confessed excitedly.
Jason also thanked his team for their work in the competition because, “although it might not seem like it at first glance, cycling is a team sport, and behind this medal is the effort of the entire delegation.” “Sometimes a sprint is a matter of luck. It was a team effort, and my teammates did a great job. I know my friend Álvaro (Gaviria, the Colombian favorite) would have liked to win at home, but it wasn’t to be,” Huertas concluded.
Despite this impressive result, the Colombian delegation secured its tenth consecutive team title at the Pan American Road Cycling Championships, topping the medal table with four gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.
Results Pan American Road Race Championships (SUB-23)
Cereté – Cereté (160,8 km)
| 1 | José Juan Prieto | México | 3:43:39 |
| 2 | Cristián Velez | Colombia | m.t. |
| 3 | José Antonio Prieto | México | m.t. |
| 4 | Arlex Méndez | Venezuela | m.t. |
| 5 | Facundo Ambrossi | Argentina | m.t. |
| 6 | Luis Fernando Bonfim | Brasil | m.t. |
| 7 | Jadian Neaves | Trinidad & Tobago | m.t. |
| 8 | Martín Mancilla | Chile | m.t. |
| 9 | Sebastián Ruiz | México | m.t. |
| 10 | Nahuel Cruz | República Dominicana | m.t. |