43.96km at 55.5 km/h, and Bernal three minutes behind: do INEOS have a surprise weapon for 2026?
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Follow us on GoogleThe performance of February may already have been delivered. Brandon Rivera crowned himself Colombian time trial champion on Thursday — and that alone came as a surprise. But the way the INEOS Grenadiers rider did it was what really made heads turn: Rivera put specialist Daniel Felipe Martínez (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) at almost two minutes, producing a ride that immediately sparked imagination within the peloton.
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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.
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Brandon Rivera at the 2025 Giro
Rivera impresses as a “luxury domestique” at INEOS
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.
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Rivera flies in Colombia’s thin air
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.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- Eight riders told to go for stages, and nobody gets one—hard to know what the plan was there. It’ll be interesting to see whether they pick a clear leader next time.bikebuffj10-11-2026
- Was Bernal’s 20th place really their best GC result? I thought he might have finished higher. Either way, it sounds like a rough Tour for the whole team.gearguru3310-11-2026
- Five days in breaks with no stage win is a painful stat. The team had chances, but they need to turn those opportunities into results.julien10-11-2026
- The Onley Vuelta example makes sense: a team with someone to rally around often looks much more cohesive. Hopefully INEOS can build on that rather than expecting a quick return to the Sky years.cadencekingm10-11-2026
- Thomas is right about the ambiguity. Eight riders all chasing stages can end up pulling in different directions, even if nobody’s deliberately working against anyone. They need a clearer plan once the GC leaders are out.robert6510-11-2026
- What a mess. The report makes it sound as though nobody properly explained the decision, and that’s hard to defend.jennifer1910-11-2026
- I’m still learning the rules: does moving left in a sprint automatically bring a penalty, or does it depend on whether the other rider is blocked? It sounds like Brand wasn’t impeded here.patriciaw10-11-2026
- A final decision still needs a proper explanation. If the federation’s complaint goes nowhere, I hope the officials at least review how they handled the riders afterwards.michael5410-11-2026
- Fair play to Lucinda for saying Marie had won fair and square. That kind of sportsmanship matters, especially after such a controversial decision.raceready710-11-2026
- Schreiber beat Brand on the road, so the jury needed to explain clearly why that slight deviation warranted relegation. Being cut off before she could give her account sounds appalling.lindae10-11-2026