French cyclist founded Guatemala’s premier race
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In 1952, Blas Quaglieri, a French cyclist, arrived in Guatemala as part of a French team competing in international races and decided to make the country his home.
He had previously raced in the 1949 Vuelta Ciclística a México, winning the competition as part of a four-person team. Quaglieri became a Guatemalan citizen in 1954 and dedicated himself to developing cycling within the country.
He believed Guatemalan cyclists needed opportunities and worked as a trainer and promoter, helping to prepare riders like Jorge Surqué Canel, who became the first champion of the Vuelta a Guatemala in 1957. Quaglieri also coached Jorge Armas, Saturnino Rustrián, and Aureliano Cuque López. Alongside David Guerra Guzmán, David Domínguez, and Humberto Salazar Damas, Quaglieri founded the Vuelta Ciclística a Guatemala.
The first race, held in April 1957, included 64 cyclists from Guatemala, Mexico, and El Salvador competing across nine stages and 910 kilometers. The race has since become a cultural treasure of Guatemala, now in its 65th edition, and Quaglieri’s legacy continues with each competition. He was inducted into the CDAG Gallery of Notables of Guatemalan Sport as a coach before his death in 2016.
