The 2026 Tour El Salvador began with a sharp, high-speed prologue through the Centro Histórico of San Salvador, and it delivered a landmark result for Chilean cycling as Catalina Soto Campos powered to victory over the 2.7km individual time trial.
Raced on a technical urban loop around the Palacio Nacional, the opening test marked the first of 11 race days across the country, part of a programme that will cover more than 800 kilometres through urban, coastal and mountainous terrain.
Soto stopped the clock at 3:48, a ride built on clean lines and controlled aggression, giving her a four-second margin over Spain’s Ainara Albert. Colombia’s Lina Marcela Hernández completed the podium, eight seconds down, after a strong effort against the clock.
For Soto, the result carried added significance. It was her first UCI victory with the Laboral Kutxa–Fundación Euskadi structure and made her the first Chilean rider to win the Tour El Salvador prologue.
“This is a really special way to start the season,” Soto said afterwards. “Winning here, in such a historic setting, and taking my first UCI victory means a lot.”
Tight margins in a condensed effort
The prologue underlined just how fine the margins were on the short course. Riders placed from third to sixth all finished on the same eight-second deficit, with multiple teams represented in the top ten. The technical demands of the route rewarded precision as much as outright power, with several riders losing time through small hesitations rather than obvious errors.
Among the Latin American contingent, Hernández led the Colombian challenge convincingly, while Guatemala’s Diana López finished 18th, gaining valuable experience against a deep international field.
What comes next
The race continues on Sunday with Stage 1, an urban circuit in the Flor Blanca district. While the prologue has set the early general classification, the first road stage is expected to reshuffle the order as teams begin to play their cards more aggressively.
Tour El Salvador 2026 Prologue result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
