Following the historic milestone of setting a Guinness World Record in its previous edition, the Gran Fondo Collado del Cóndor (GFCDC) officially announced its sixth edition for March 22, 2026. The event, organized by Ultrabikex, is solidifying its position as the most demanding cycling challenge. national, bringing together 1,000 cyclists of varying skill levels.

The impressive 123-kilometer route, starting from Estanque, along with its three other distances—80 km from Mérida, 46 km from Cacute, and 26 km from Mucuchíes—culminates at the majestic Collado del Cóndor (Pico El Águila) at 4,118 meters above sea level. This year, the event expects to feature prominent figures in cycling, as well as special guests, aiming to highlight not only the sporting aspect but also the unique tourism potential of this event.

A challenge where everyone wins: Experiences as significant as the distances or heights covered

The GFCDC ​​is a route that has already become part of the sport’s history. Following the success of the fifth edition, where the Guinness World Record for the longest climb was officially established, the event has put the world’s attention on the mountains of Mérida. This international milestone not only certifies the route’s difficulty and beauty but also validates Ultrabikex’s organizational capacity to carry out one of the most impressive cycling feats on the planet.

The event features experienced cyclists and others who, while not yet experienced, have taken the challenge of experiencing the GFCDC ​​seriously. This year’s route will showcase new geological landscapes, such as the “stone beaches” formed by recent natural events.

Organizational commitment and safety

The logistical deployment for an event of this magnitude is monumental. Jenny Castro, General Director of the GFCDC, highlighted the collaborative effort behind the race.

“From the organization, we work tirelessly to ensure that every detail is perfect on the day of the event. This is only possible thanks to close coordination with state entities, security and prevention agencies, along with a valuable team of collaborators and volunteers who, year after year, demonstrate a true vocation for service to protect and provide our athletes with an unparalleled experience,” stated Castro.

Chilling Time and the community and children’s cheerleading competition

Prior to March 22, the GFCDC ​​2026 will officially begin on March 20 and 21 at the Hotel Belensate with the “Chilling Time” expo. This space will be the meeting point for kit distribution, technical talks, stage competitions, and recreational activities. It will also be a place where artisans and entrepreneurs will complement the atmosphere by exhibiting their interesting and delicious products.

In addition, Jenny Castro explained that the passion for the event extends to local communities: “This edition will once again feature our traditional Cheerleading Competition (from Tabay to Apartaderos), where communities from the Páramo region and schools can actively participate. Sports equipment will be provided for schools and organized communities that demonstrate the best support for the cyclists along the route.”

The voice of management

Camilo González, CEO of Ultrabikex, emphasized that, with more than 800 athletes already registered to date, and a maximum of 1,000, the challenge is ever-increasing: “We envision Mérida as an elite sports tourism destination. We invite those who haven’t yet joined to register early under our motto: ‘Life is a journey, enjoy the route.’” To date, 20 states are represented across the different distances.

González, who has also competed in both cycling and athletics, encourages cyclists to improve their training: “Given the technical nature of each distance and the accumulated elevation gain that challenges the limits of endurance, the GFCDC ​​organizers urge participants to act responsibly. Conquering an elevation gain that culminates at over 4,000 meters requires rigorous planning, endurance training, and proper acclimatization. It’s not just about leg power, but about comprehensive preparation—physical, nutritional, and mental—that allows each cyclist to safely face the hypoxic conditions and low temperatures of the Mérida Páramo.”

An event for everyone: Inclusion and overcoming challenges

The GFCDC ​​route is, above all, a celebration of human will. Throughout its previous editions, the event has featured the inspiring participation of athletes with disabilities, who have demonstrated that there are no insurmountable barriers when there is determination.

These athletes not only face the demanding climb to the high-altitude moorland with exemplary dedication, but their presence also injects vibrant energy and an extra dose of motivation into the entire peloton. Their participation is a fundamental pillar of the Gran Fondo, reminding us that cycling is a powerful tool for inclusion and that the finish line at the Collado del Cóndor belongs to everyone who dares to dream big.

Bancamiga: It’s a world-class event

Alberto Camardiel, Executive Director of Marketing, Channels, and Payment Methods at Bancamiga, shared his experiences, expectations, and the strong commitment of the financial institution he represents to the initiative with attendees at the press conference and discussion, along with González and Castro.

“This is the fifth year that Bancamiga has provided its firm support, and it reaffirms our commitment to the country, to the state of Mérida, to national cycling, to the athletes, and to every Venezuelan who loves sports; as well as to Venezuela’s incomparable geographical beauty. And of course, to this magnificent organizer and promoter, Ultrabikex, for carrying out the Gran Fondo Collado del Cóndor, a truly world-class event. My respects,” noted the Executive Director of Bancamiga.

When asked about it, Camardiel, who has shown a deep connection with sports and photography throughout his personal life and professional career as a communicator, pointed out that “everyone has a reason for reaching Collado del Cóndor. In a way, it’s an individual challenge. My memory records and recalls having seen and enjoyed one of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever experienced. And from a sporting perspective, participating in the GFCDC ​​means growth.”

Spectator logistics. Partners and sponsors

The organizers encourage family members and companions to follow the official social media accounts: @ultrabikex and @ultrabikex.eventos, where details regarding transportation, hydration stations, and safe zones for spectators along the 123 km route will be posted soon. Regarding on-demand transportation, an agreement with the “La Venezuela de Antier” amusement park was announced during the press conference held in Caracas. The park will provide its tram-like vehicles for the public and athletes.

The GFCDC’s staging of an event of this magnitude is made possible by the strong support of companies and brands that believe in sport as a driver of change and development. The organizers extended their “deep gratitude” to their strategic partners: Bancamiga Banco Universal, NESTLE-SAVOY, Avior Airlines, Toyota Bridelo, Valmorca Laboratories, Latinbien, Hotel Belensate, Hammer Nutrition, La Mega, Estei, Somos Mérida, Probiótica, TIFOSI, UBX Clothing, and WAHOO. Their commitment not only guarantees organizational excellence and the safety of the athletes but also strengthens Mérida’s position as the epicenter of national cycling.

At the end of the meeting with media and journalists, the official jersey, specially designed for this edition by Eduardo Valderrama, was unveiled.

On-site coverage

Video and photographs: Jesús Ramírez / Ida Febres

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Cyclists from all over the country took to Mérida state to witness a historic event: the Guinness certification of the fifth edition. of the Gran Fondo Collado del Cóndor (GFCDC).

One thousand cyclists from all Venezuelan states participated this Sunday, March 23rd, in the GFCDC ​​across four distances, one of which (125 km) earned Guinness certification as the race with the longest climb in the world.

Organized by Ultrabikex and streamed on its YouTube channel, a group of cyclists set off from Estanques, 425 meters above sea level, to summit the Collado del Cóndor, at 4,200 meters above sea level. It was the first of four starts scheduled for the morning, which would take place from different locations.

Over this 125 km distance, Bancamiga promoted the Bancamiga Ultrabikex Challenge, which featured professional cyclists José Rujano (2004, 2005, 2010, and 2015), José Alarcón (2023), and Edwin Becerra (2025) and the renowned amateurs Alfonso Márquez (winner of the Gran Fondo Collado del Cóndor in 2023 and 2024), Alan Noya, and Jeison Avendaño.

Through the “Bancamiga Ultrabikex Challenge,” an initiative of Alberto Camardiel, Executive Director of Marketing, Products, and Services at Bancamiga, the goal was for at least four of them to reach the finish line in under 5:15 minutes. This Sunday, the tireless efforts of these six cyclists allowed them to cross the finish line in 5:03 minutes, a record that Alarcón believes will stand for years to come.

For Camardiel, the Bancamiga Ultrabikex Challenge is a way to promote cycling in the country and to make the Collado del Cóndor Gran Fondo a benchmark for Latin American and global cycling. In addition to its Guinness certification, it opens the door for other cyclists around the world to see this achievement as a record worth breaking.

On a day with excellent weather conditions, the fifth edition of the GFCDC ​​saw Nelson Peña win the 125-kilometer race with a time of 5:12.06 seconds and Lilibeth Chacón with 5:35.32.

Two cyclists will compete in Egan Bernal’s Gran Fondo

As in previous editions, the event brought together cyclists across four distances: Mucuchíes (26 kilometers); Valle Hermoso (46 kilometers); Mérida (80 kilometers); and Estanques (125 kilometers).

One of the highlights was the participation of Olympic athlete Joselyn Brea, who reached the final of the 5,000-meter race at Paris 2024 and also left the national team proud in the 1,500-meter race.

This Sunday, Brea won the 80-kilometer race. She acknowledged that it was a very demanding race, especially in the final stretch, but that the support of the people, Bancamiga employees and volunteers at the entertainment and hydration stations along the route, and the beautiful scenery provided her with inspiration to face the final kilometers.

She expressed that her participation in the Collado del Cóndor Gran Fondo served as training while she recovers from an injury. She hopes to return to athletics in the coming weeks.

During the GFCDC, two all-expenses-paid packages to attend the Egan Bernal Cycling Gran Fondo in Colombia in November were raffled off. Participants in the 125-kilometer race, Ericka Urrea and Thomas Silveira, were awarded prizes.

For Colombian cyclist Camilo Reina, who attended the GFCDC ​​and is a partner of 2019 Tour de France champion Egan Bernal, what he experienced this Sunday in Mérida was wonderful. On his first visit to Venezuela and the region, he was able to experience the state’s beautiful landscapes and the high level of Venezuelan cycling firsthand.

He hopes that, in addition to Urrea and Silveira, many Venezuelans will compete in the Cycling Gran Fondo organized by Bernal, and that many Colombians will also compete in the Collado del Cóndor Gran Fondo next year.

With information from Bancamiga Banco Universal and Ultrabikex

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Bancamiga continues to reaffirm its leadership in innovation and has now incorporated the Suite Deportiva space in its Bancamiga Suite application, where clients will be able to see updated summaries on soccer, baseball, cycling, street races and marathons.

In partnership with Televen and Simple TV, Bancamiga Suite will show via streaming the best moments of the Venezuelan national team, the Futve League, the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, national cycling competitions and races organized by Hipereventos.

Suite Deportiva will be led by prominent journalists such as Alberto Camardiel, Adriana Flores, Milena Gimón, Carlos Domínguez and Ernesto Linzalata, among others.

The President of the Board of Directors of Bancamiga Banco Universal, José Simón Elarba, said that the recent update of Bancamiga Suite has put in the hands of customers an application that goes beyond transactionality, by offering friendly, close and entertaining content.

Bancamiga makes life easier for Venezuelans when carrying out their financial transactions and also puts content of interest within their reach

“At Bancamiga we are committed to making life easier for Venezuelans when carrying out their financial transactions. Now with Suite Deportiva we have also become the first bank to offer a streaming space with the best plays and moments of national and world sports in its app,” Elarba highlighted.

The recent update of Bancamiga Suite is marking a milestone in the national financial system, because in addition to streaming, it offers customers the possibility of making transfers, paying for services and cancelling their purchases by simply bringing the app downloaded on their cell phone to contactless points of sale.

This functionality is mainly an attribute of the Bancamiga Debit Card in its individual, Kids, business and Black versions. And to enjoy this advantage, you only have to update the Bancamiga Suite app in the Play Store, which will allow the Bancamiga Debit Card or another to be tokenized on your cell phone. At the moment, Apple does not allow this type of advantage within its wallet.

With information and reference image provided by Bancamiga

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Since 1966, without interruption, an event that is part of the history of cycling in the country has been held in Venezuela: the Tour of Táchira, in which 25 teams will participate on this occasion, 19 of them national, will have a stage in Cúcuta and for the first time will include a women’s classic.

As part of its brand strategy, Bancamiga will be present at this edition, number 58, which will be held between January 15 and 22, mainly between the states of Táchira, Mérida and Barinas, reports a statement from the institution.

And it will do so by sponsoring the Ciclocorse team, made up of young people Abraham Rodríguez, Emmanuel Tovar, Diego Lei, Fabián Rivas and Víctor Mejía, all from the U23, and William Linares, Elite first year.

The director of the Ciclocorse Foundation, María Carolina Godoy, thanked Bancamiga for its support, because it allows a group of six talented young people to continue their training and projection in the professional cycling world, which in 2022 also had the bank, which has sport as one of its fundamental fields of action.

“Last year we were in the Vuelta a Venezuela and that was only possible thanks to the support of Alberto Camardiel and Bancamiga. We had a very positive balance in that event, being able to enter the top 20 of the elite general classification. We are going to the Vuelta al Táchira with a squad of young people who have been carefully prepared. We expect good results from them and that they continue to grow professionally”.

He expressed that the Foundation is committed to strengthening society, training responsible citizens through cycling, with the direction of a technical team that seeks to take the discipline to a new level within Latin America, taking as an instrument of differentiation the implementation of the science applied to sport.

“The experience we had in the United States with the Ciclocorse Performance Center served as the basis for implementing a project model that would later become the Ciclocorse Foundation. Once we returned to Venezuela, we realized the economic needs of many young people and we saw that we could contribute our grain of sand within the world of cycling in the country,” said Godoy, adding that they began to work with the category youth (from the age of 14), which is the basis of this sport, with the intention that when they leave the sub23 category they can already be placed in teams.

Ciclocorse and Bancamiga, a champion team

He indicated that it is key that the formation process is aligned with how it is carried out in the world. “And it is done with hard data, with information on power, because the moment a team shows interest in one of the cyclists, it will request their real cycling profile. If there is no data, you cannot train and work correctly. You enter the Strava application and by looking at the information that the cyclist uploads from his training sessions, you can find out his performance. If there is no data, it becomes invisible”.

For Bancamiga, it is important to support young talents in a sport like cycling, which implies camaraderie, self-improvement, discipline and fighting spirit, whose projection often goes beyond our borders, the information concludes.

With information from Bancamiga

(Reference image source: Bancamiga)

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