Five cyclists from Baja California Sur have earned spots on Mexico’s national team for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, to be held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The team includes Olympians Yuli Paola Verdugo and Ricardo Peña, along with Sebastián Ruiz, Edgar Verdugo, and Andrea Robles, who will compete for Mexico in several cycling events.
Recent Success at International Championships
Peña recently competed at the Trinidad and Tobago Track Cycling Championships, where he raced in the Speed Paradise Grand Prix. He won gold medals in the elimination and scratch races and finished second in the omnium which is a multi-event track cycling competition often compared to the decathlon. The omnium consists of four endurance races held in a single day, with the rider accumulating the most points declared the overall winner.
Robles enters the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games after winning two gold medals at Mexico’s National Olympics. Edgar Verdugo will compete in both the keirin and pursuit events as an individual and as a member of the team.
Understanding Key Cycling Events
The keirin is a tactical sprint race held on a banked velodrome track. Riders follow a motorized pacing bike before accelerating into an all-out sprint, with the first cyclist across the finish line declared the winner. Success in the event depends on strategy as well as speed.
The pursuit is an endurance event in which two riders or teams start on opposite sides of the velodrome and try to catch one another. If neither competitor is caught, the rider or team recording the fastest time over the prescribed distance wins.
Supported by the Baja California Sur Sports Institute (INSUDE), the cyclists continue to strengthen the state’s reputation for producing elite cycling talent while representing both Baja California Sur and Mexico in international competition.
INSUDE is responsible for promoting and developing sports, physical education, and recreation throughout Baja California Sur. For many years, the state capital of La Paz has produced many of the state’s top cyclists, a tradition that continues today.
