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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Sports

2026 Vuelta al Ecuador begins in Machachi with 13 teams

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The 2026 Vuelta al Ecuador started in Machachi on Sept. 7, with 13 teams set to cover 939.69 kilometers over seven stages in six provinces.
  • Defending champion Richard Huera leads Best PC Ecuador, while four-time winner Bayron Guamá seeks a record-equalling fifth title.
  • The event includes national, continental and international teams, and Huera returns after surviving a 2025 traffic accident.

The 2026 Vuelta al Ecuador got under way on Monday, Sept. 7, from Machachi with 13 teams at the start. The riders will cover 939.69 kilometers over seven stages across six provinces.

Teams and the cycling caravan gathered at Machachi’s Chan stadium in Pichincha province. Before the start, participants signed the presentation board outside the venue. Government officials attended the opening, including Ecuadorian Cycling Federation president Juan Andrade and Deputy Sports Minister Roberto Ibáñez.

Ibáñez welcomed the foreign delegations and urged the riders to make the most of the competition. “Arrive safe and sound, this is for you. A cycling tour that is an important platform for you and for young people. May God bless you very much,” he said.

Richard Huera led the field as defending champion. He won the previous edition in 2024 with Best PC, the team he still represents, earning his first and only title in the race. His return follows a 2025 traffic accident in Carchi, where he was struck by a vehicle.

Best PC also includes Bayron Guamá, who is pursuing a record fifth Vuelta al Ecuador title. Guamá, known as “El Patrón,” has won the race four times and is one title behind Pedro Rodríguez. The field includes two continental teams, four international teams and seven Ecuadorian teams.

Arrive safe and sound, this is for you. A cycling tour that is an important platform for you and for young people. May God bless you very much.

· Roberto IbáñezEcuador’s deputy sports minister addressed riders and foreign delegations at the race opening.
About this summary

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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