In a very demanding finish, David González (Team Medellín-EPM) won the first stage and became the first leader of the Vuelta a Guatemala 2024. The route of the inaugural day included a very hard journey from Punila to Jutiapa, with 157 kilometers of route, which included four mountain prizes.
The young rider from Bogota, who achieved his second victory of the season after winning the Vuelta a Venezuela, beat the Mexican Efrén Santos (Canel’s – Java) by more than 2 minutes. Third came Cristian Cubides (Municipalidad de Fraijanes).
In the mountainous day the beetles were great protagonists. Aldemar Reyes (Team Medellín-EPM) won the most demanding pass of the day in the first category, the pass of La Conora, followed by Nicolás Paredes (Hino-One-La Red-Suzuki).
The 63rd edition of the Central American race, which will have 10 stages for a total of 1201.5 kilometers, began with more than 100 cyclists, distributed in a total of 19 teams, 10 from the host country and 9 from abroad (Costa Rica 1, Panama 1, Ecuador 1, Colombia 4, and Mexico, with two).
The Guatemalan round will continue this Saturday with the second stage, starting in Jutiapa and finishing in Fraijanes, over a 107-kilometer route, which includes seven mountain prizes. The successor of local rider Gerson Toc, last year’s champion, will be announced on Sunday, November 3, in Antigua.
Results Stage 1 | Punila – Jutiapa (157,5 km)
| 1 | David González | Team Medellín-EPM | 3:55:23 |
| 2 | Efrén Santos | Canel’s-Java | 2:09 |
| 3 | Cristian Cubides | Municipalidad de Fraijanes | 2:17 |
| 4 | Aldemar Reyes | Team Medellín-EPM | 2:17 |
| 5 | Robinson López | GW Erco Shimano | 2:20 |
| 6 | Byron Guama | Movistar-Best PC | 2:24 |
| 7 | Elí Saúl Burgos | Red Hook | 2:24 |
| 8 | Mardoqueo Vásquez | Hino-One-La Red-Tigo-Suzuki | 2:24 |
| 9 | Alexander Gil | Orgullo Paisa | 2:33 |
| 10 | Javier Jamaica | Team Medellín-EPM | 2:33 |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico