43.96km at 55.5 km/h, and Bernal three minutes behind: do INEOS have a surprise weapon for 2026?

Brandon Smith Rivera is a 29-year-old Colombian who has been riding for INEOS Grenadiers since 2020. He came from the Continental scene, but turned out to be a well-known friend of Egan Bernal, who was still one of the team’s marquee leaders back then. Rivera has often worked as a domestique for his compatriot in the biggest races, but opportunities “for his own account” have been rare.

And yet, the engine has always been there. Rivera won the time trial at the Pan-American Continental Championships back in 2019, and in 2024 he suddenly took a stage win at the Tour of Austria. He hasn’t raced many Grand Tours, either: he started the Vuelta a España in 2020, then had to wait years for another selection. He returned for the 2024 Vuelta, and last season he was even included for both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta — again alongside Bernal.

Rivera’s development has therefore only really gathered momentum later in his career — and on Thursday that progression paid off with the Colombian national time trial title. He had already finished second in 2024 and third last year, both times at a respectable distance from winners Martínez and Bernal. This time, the roles flipped completely, with Rivera delivering the big statement ride.

The time trial was held in Zipaquirá, the hometown of both Bernal and Rivera. At 2,600 metres above sea level, the two Colombians know exactly how to time their form — and Rivera’s finishing time underlined that. He covered the rolling 43.96-kilometre course in 47 minutes and 3 seconds, averaging 56 km/h, according to Strava.

56 kilometres per hour — yes, you read that right. Of course, the national championships were held at altitude, and Rivera has spent the entire winter there. There’s a reason the hour record on the track is often targeted at altitude — Mexico is a famous example — and speed skating records are also typically set on high-altitude rinks, thanks to the lower air resistance in thinner air

Still, it’s hard not to wonder what Rivera might be capable of once he’s back racing at sea level in Europe, carrying the training benefits from a winter spent high in the Andes. For comparison: Filippo Ganna’s hour record, set at 450 metres above sea level in Grenchen (Switzerland), stands at 56.792 kilometres. Rivera would have had to keep going for roughly another quarter of an hour to get there — but even so, the Colombian’s ride was hugely impressive.