Last Sunday, November 17, Bogotá hosted its first Gran Fondo de Ciclismo, a cycling race that saw over 5,500 participants ride through the capital.
The tour was the largest of its kind in Latin America and was styled as the ‘Gran Fondo de Ciclismo x Egan Bernal’. Bernal is a high-profile Colombian cyclist who became the first Latin American to win the Tour de France in 2019.
The event was organised by the celebrity cyclist’s company Cycla with support from Bogotá’s Alcaldía Mayor.
Starting in the Plaza de Bolívar, cyclists were able to choose between two routes, the 115km “gran fondo” or the 60km “medio fondo”.
Both circuits led participants through nine neighborhoods of the city: La Candelaria, Santa Fé, Teusaquillo, Los Mártires, Chapinero, Usaquén, Suba, Engativá and Fontibón.
Bernal, a Bogotá native, described the race as furthering the capital’s reputation as a cycling city.
“It is an honor to be a part of Bogotá’s Gran Fondo de Ciclismo, an event that not only establishes our city as the world capital of the bicycle, but which also promotes the use of cycling as a healthy activity that is accessible to all,” said the athlete in a statement.
The event saw COP$3 billion (approximately USD$683 thousand) invested into the local economy, with over 42 Bogotá businesses directly engaged in providing goods and services for the race.
The organisers also estimated that the Gran Fondo attracted 1,750 visitors, comprising 15.6% of participants.
They calculated that the economic impact of tourism-related activity for the event was roughly COP$1 billion (approximately USD$227 thousand), with guests spending money on hotels and on goods and services from local businesses.
In preparation for the event, the Alcaldía also sponsored a large-scale investment programme in the capital’s cycling infrastructure.
From January to November 2024, the city authority renovated roughly 1.5 million square metres of road networks, public spaces and cycling routes.
The government also recruited 300 police officers to ensure the safety of the race.
The Alcaldía spun the event as part of Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán’s “Bogotá Camina Segura” (Bogotá Walks Safely) plan.
In a press release, Galán described the race as part of its broader security and development strategy.
“This event not only promotes physical activity, it also bolsters Bogotá as an epicentre for sport and recreation in Colombia,” said Mayor Galán.
