GRAVEL RACING IN COLOMBIA

Michiel van Vliet, the 21 year old Dutch rider for Team Metec-Solarwatt p/b Mantel, is the winner of Transcordilleras 2026. After eight stages of rallying across the Colombian Andes, he took the win with a lead of more than one hour on Cristian Ricardo Yepes Arroyave. Yeison Alejandro Rincon Alvarez ended with a third place. It was his first real self-supported gravel race experience. Six questions for our LSRF ambassador with the new nickname Miguelito, after this great result.

Congratulations on winning Transcordilleras 2026. When we interviewed you before the race, you had zero expectations, just to enjoy the ride and to see what the body can do. You also had no idea who would be your competition. Was there a moment in the race, when you thought: winning the GC could actually be an option?

Indeed, I had no clue what to expect. But after coming in second in the first stage, I realized that I could actually try and push for the best possible result. The competition was fierce, especially the local crew. There was this one Colombian rider that would descend like a complete bomb. He would go so fast, that I almost shit my pants trying to keep up with his terrifying pace. Luckily for me, I could surpass him on the bigger climbs. Halfway, I made a plan to go full cartouche in the queen's stage, which was stage 4. I figured if I would give everything I had on that particular day, I would maybe create a nice lead on the rest. I finished about 30 minutes earlier than my competitors, so that really worked out well. It gave me the confidence to continue the rest of the rally with a certain peace of mind.

Which stage was the hardest for you and which stage made you enjoy the ride more?

I don't think these were actually two different days. Stage 6 was a very hard stage, climbing up to 3500 meters. I was together with fellow Dutch rider Jan-Willem van Schip and after all this hard climbing, we rode down the most beautiful road I have ever seen in my life, for the final 40 kilometers. The reward of going up that high was so amazing. 

Did the altitude hit differently?

I have to admit I was a bit anxious about facing these numbers. I made sure I got there a week before the race, so I could adjust to the altitude. During the race, I didn't really suffer from the altitude. It felt like all the other times I had raced on altitude. Except for one moment, when we got above 3000 meters. That was some next level stuff. I felt really crappy, but looking at the other riders, I realized everybody was feeling the same under these circumstances. I made the most out of it and lucky for me, the body took it well.

What is your best memory of the race?

That must have been stage 5, when Jan-Willem and I were pacing together towards the biggest climb of that day. It was a relatively flat part of the route and we, as Dutchies, knew just what to do. But climbing really high mountains isn't Jan-Willem's specialty, so I was coaching him like a real coach. He had to go so deep to make it to the top and after a crazy descent to catch the two riders in front of us, there was four of us getting ready to do a sprint. Jan-Willem had been dragging himself over the mountains that day and the only thing that kept him alive, was the thought of a grand sprint finale, his specialty. But sprinting in Transcordilleras means sprinting through live traffic. There is nobody stopping the cars or holding people back. His attempt was challenged by both an ambulance and a motor, only to see us three coming back and surpass him at ten meters from the finish. What a deception ending fourth, but it was so damn funny.

Did you have any mechanical issues?

Surprisingly very few. I had a great Specializes S-Works Crux and it kept me going all the way. I once hit a pothole in the road and I broke my back wheel in two places. Thankfully, I could finish the stage without losing any time, but it had to be taken care of. I looked up a local bike shop and took the wheel to see what was possible. The man immediately stopped with what he was doing and promised me he'd have it ready at the end of the day. Four hours later, it was fixed and ready to be picked up again. Such a friendly and helpful guy. He really helped me with this victory. 

Would you ever consider coming back for a bike adventure in Colombia?

Definitely! It was such a great week, I enjoyed it so much. The cycling community vibe was awesome and the people were so friendly and fun to hang out with. Colombia's nature is so impressive and the scenery is just awesome. But riding in Colombia also means you gotta have full focus when doing it. There is loose gravel, the altitude makes you more tired than usual and the descents can be very tricky. But hey, I earned myself a free entry for 2027 by winning this year, so now I definitely have to come back here. 

Photo credits: @transcordilleras @pipecano_photo @stevetae