Panamanian Bolívar Espinoza won the first stage of the Tour of Guatemala 2025, which started in Teculután, Zacapa, and ended in Puerto Barrios, Izabal, after a 172-kilometer race lasting almost four hours.
Bolívar Espinoza of the Panama National Team was crowned champion of the first stage with a time of 3:46:25. Panama dominated the podium, with two of its representatives in the top spots. Espinoza crossed the finish line in first place, closely followed by his compatriot Bernardo Suaza, while Ecuadorian Brayan Obando completed the podium.
The best Guatemalan of the stage was Edwin Sam of Decora Baños, who finished in fourth place, 8 seconds behind the winner. The first few kilometers presented additional challenges due to heavy vehicle and transport traffic, which complicated the normal progress of the race.
The caravan crossed the municipalities of Santa Cruz Río Hondo, Zacapa, Gualán, Los Amates, and Morales before reaching the finish line in Puerto Barrios, Izabal. It has been 18 years since the last edition, in which Puerto Barrios was included in the rich history of the Vuelta a Guatemala.
The stage featured a mountain climb on the Alto Los Mangales, classified as a fourth category climb and located at kilometer 72.3. Colombian cyclist Carlos Gutiérrez of the Movistar Best PC team earned the point for this climb, beginning to add points to the mountain classification.
Winners of the Sprint Stages
This stage was awarded three sprint stages.
First Sprint Stage – Pasarela El Rosario (km 27): Brayan Ríos earned the first points of the competition on this initial sprint stage.
Second Sprint – Texaco Gas Station (km 96): Bernardo Suaza of the Colombian team Orgullo Paisa won this intermediate sprint, followed by his teammate Juan Osorio and Irishman Cormac McGeough.
Third Sprint – Entrance to Morales (km 120.5): Irishman Cormac McGeough took all five points from this final Sprint, earning a total of six points for the day and becoming the leader of the points classification after the first stage.
Among the cyclists generating the most excitement were reigning champion Robinson López and Guatemalan Mardoqueo Vásquez. These riders, along with the main peloton, crossed the finish line with a lead of six minutes and 25 seconds over the leading group.
The second stage of the 2025 Vuelta a Guatemala will take place on Saturday, October 25, starting in Gualán and finishing in El Corcovado, covering a total of 160.6 kilometers.
Source: Prensa Libre