The Bogotá-born cyclist Javier Jamaica, of the Nu Colombia team, was crowned this Sunday, October 25, as champion of the 66th edition of the Clásico RCN Sistecrédito 2026, the most traditional race in Colombian cycling, known as the “Duelo de Titanes.” Jamaica, 28 years old, wrote his name for the first time in the list of winners of the event after completing the nine stages with a total time of 30 hours, 33 minutes and 24 seconds.
The victory was decided on the final day, an individual time trial uphill of 17.2 kilometers between Medellín and the iconic Alto de Las Palmas. Although the stage win went to his teammate Rodrigo Contreras, who stopped the clock at 42 minutes and 37 seconds, Jamaica intelligently managed his advantage in the general classification to secure the overall title.
The dominance of the Nu Colombia team was overwhelming: Camilo Ardila finished second at 1 minute and 24 seconds, while Kevin Castillo, of Orgullo Paisa, completed the podium at 4 minutes and 24 seconds behind the champion. The road to the title was built on the sixth stage, when Jamaica launched a decisive attack on the way to Anserma to take the lead, which he defended with solvency until the final finish line.
“The best birthday gift”
Visibly emotional, Jamaica dedicated the triumph to his father, who was present at the summit of Alto de Las Palmas and was celebrating his birthday that same day. “I always said that this day was key, I suffered a lot. I knew my dad was here, it’s his birthday; I think I couldn’t give him a better birthday gift than to see me as champion of the Clásico RCN,” declared the Bogotá-born rider in tears.
The champion also referred to the Vuelta a Colombia, a race that slipped away from him by a narrow margin months ago. “The Vuelta got away from me by just a little this year, but we reaffirmed with the Clásico and we remain motivated for next year,” he stated. In addition, he sent a message of support to the new generations of national cycling: “May they believe in the processes. I have grown and I have been learning, which is why I always support having teams that bet on youth and that develop cyclists with sanity, with grit, with sacrifice. This doesn’t come alone, it comes after training and many things that you have to give up, but it is worth all the pain in the world.”