The organizers of the Vuelta al Táchira 2026 presented the new official route for the next edition of the cycling event, which will take place from January 9 to 18. The race will return to ten stages and will cover more than 1,500 kilometers.
At a press conference held in San Cristóbal, José Gregorio Freites, president of the Táchira Sports Institute; along with Rubén Osorio, president of the Táchira Cycling Association and road cycling coordinator for the Venezuelan Cycling Federation (FVC); and Josmer Cuadros, representative of the Táchira Cycling Association (ATC), provided details of the competition.
Last October, the organizing committee announced that the Gran Giro Andino was returning to its ten-stage format, and Freites explained that this achievement was made possible through the collaborative work of the Táchira State Government, the ATC (Táchira Cycling Association), and the FVC (Colombian Cycling Federation), with the support of President Nicolás Maduro, Minister of Popular Power for Sport Franklin Cardillo, and Governor Freddy Bernal.
Stages Defined
Regarding the route, the spokesperson for the Vuelta a la Táchira organization stated that it includes the following stages:
January 9: San Cristóbal–Socopó
January 10: Socopó–San Cristóbal
January 11: “Santos Rafael Bermúdez” circuit in San Cristóbal
January 12: La Fría–Mérida
January 13: Circuit in Mérida
January 14: El Vigía–La Grita
January 15: Metropolitan circuit San Cristóbal–Táriba
January 16th: Abejales–Christ the King Monument (Cerro El Cristo).
January 17th: “Los Estudiantes” circuit in Rubio, returning to the calendar after several years of absence.
January 18th: Ureña–San Cristóbal, finishing at the Velodrome.
Foreign Participation
Regarding Venezuelan and foreign teams, Freites noted that GW Shimano and Orgullo Paisa from Colombia have already confirmed their participation, as well as a high percentage of the Cuban national team. Confirmation is expected from teams in Mexico, Bolivia, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, China, and possibly Portugal.
Venezuelan teams such as Gobernación de Trujillo, Trululu, Confitería La Guacamaya, Lotería del Táchira, Kino Táchira, Politáchira, and Bandes La Guaira, among others, will be competing, guaranteeing the presence of between 120 and 130 cyclists on the road. Brazilian Commissioner
At this press conference, the appointment of Brazilian Fernando Vasconcelos as Director Commissioner of the 2026 Vuelta al Táchira was confirmed. He is the second person from the Amazon region in the race’s history to hold this role.
His appointment reinforces the international character and technical rigor of the competition, which is consolidating its position as the most important cycling event in Venezuela and a key event on the continental calendar.
Finally, the sports conference also announced other new features for the 2026 edition of the Vuelta al Táchira: the unveiling of the official mascot, the Andean bear, a symbol of Andean fauna, and the launch of a YouTube channel to expand digital coverage and reach new audiences.
Source: Vuelta al Táchira Press Office