Nairo Quintana lifted onto shoulders as Froome, Contador and thousands celebrate emotional farewell

Nairo Quintana's final ride was never going to be a quiet affair. But even the two-time Grand Tour winner appeared overwhelmed by the scenes in Cartagena on Sunday, where thousands of Colombian fans and some of his fiercest former rivals gathered to celebrate the end of his professional career.

Chris Froome, Alberto Contador, Egan Bernal and Rigoberto Urán were among the stars who joined Quintana for the Gran Fondo Nairo Fest, with approximately 6,900 amateur cyclists from 21 countries taking part in a farewell that went far beyond the usual retirement ceremony.

For Quintana, who spent so many years trying to crack Froome's dominance at the Tour de France, the occasion brought together men who had once been his biggest obstacles to victory.

And the 36-year-old could not hold back his tears.

"It was worth it. It was all worth it," Quintana told Colombian newspaper El Universal after completing the ride.

"The presence of my cycling friends helped ease some of the sadness about my retirement. I've really enjoyed these days in Cartagena and Bolívar."

Few riders tested Froome during his Tour de France dominance quite like Quintana. The Colombian finished runner-up to the Briton in 2013 and 2015, with their battles in the Alps and Pyrenees becoming defining moments of that era.

More than a decade later, Froome travelled to Colombia to honour the man who had repeatedly pushed him to his limits.

"Nairo has a place in history for me, not only in Colombian cycling but in world cycling," Froome told Caracol Radio ahead of the farewell.

He also acknowledged that competing against Quintana had helped drive his own success, describing the opportunity to celebrate his former rival's career as particularly special.

Speaking to El Universal on Sunday, Froome added: "I feel fantastic in Cartagena. Seeing so many people here for Nairo's farewell is spectacular. We've come here to celebrate his career and the great person he is."

Contador was equally moved by the turnout.

"Spending time with Nairo on his last day was spectacular. Nobody was missing, we all came in the end. He's a very special person," the Spaniard told El Universal.

Bernal, Colombia's 2019 Tour de France winner, also joined the celebrations, along with Joaquim Rodríguez, Samuel Sánchez and Óscar Sevilla.

Quintana had already experienced one remarkable farewell a week earlier at the Giro dell'Emilia, his final professional race.

Before the start, the peloton formed a guard of honour, raising bicycles above their heads as the Movistar rider passed through.

Although he had been planning his retirement for two years, Quintana admitted the reality of that moment hit harder than expected.

"It hurt to say goodbye. We had planned it two years ago, but when you arrive at the last race, you really feel that it's over," he told AS Colombia.

"The guard of honour was special, very beautiful. There were many teammates and friends with whom I had shared so much."

Sunday's celebrations in Cartagena offered a very different setting.

The riders followed routes through the Bolívar region, with thousands of supporters gathering along the roads. According to El Universal, Quintana stopped in Villanueva to greet the crowds and thank them for their support.

At the finish, surrounded by family and former rivals, the emotional Colombian embraced those closest to him before kissing his bicycle.

It was a poignant ending for a rider who had risen from humble beginnings in Boyacá to win the 2014 Giro d'Italia and 2016 Vuelta a España, while finishing on the Tour de France podium three times.

Quintana's farewell also carried a message about the future of Colombian cycling, a subject he has spoken about increasingly in recent years.

"We hope we can have leaders who continue working for sport, because sport is an important vehicle for people's projects and dreams," he said through tears, according to El Universal.

The celebrations ended with Quintana being lifted onto the shoulders of those around him, as Froome, Contador, Bernal and other former rivals joined in the festivities.

The Colombian was then tossed into the air in front of a cheering crowd, bringing an emotional end to a weekend dedicated to his career.