Rafael Antonio Niño

Rafael Antonio Niño Munévar (December 11, 1949 – July 9, 2026) was a Colombian road racing cyclist. He won the Vuelta a Colombia in 1970. After that he became a professional cyclist from 1973 to 1974. He participated in the Giro d'Italia. After one year as a professional he returned to Colombia and set up the Banco Cafetero team of which he was the undisputed leader. With this strong team he dominated the Vuelta a Colombia and the Clásico RCN during the 1970s. He earned the nickname El Niño de Cucaita. He won a record six editions of the Vuelta a Colombia.

After he retired he became a technical director of the Colombia professional cycling team, Café de Colombia, that participated in the Tour de France winning several stages during the 1980s. Niño died on July 9, 2026, at the age of 76.

Major results

1970 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1971 1st Overall Clásico RCN 3rd Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1972 1st Stage 6 Vuelta a Colombia 2nd Overall Vuelta al Táchira 1st Sprints classification 3rd Overall Clásico RCN 1973 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1st Stages 2 & 6 1975 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1st Mountains classification 1st Stages 7, 10 & 12 1st Overall Clásico RCN 1st Points classification 1st Mountains classification 1st Combined classification 1st Stages 4 & 5 1976 1st Stages 3b & 4 Vuelta a Boyacá 1977 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1st Points classification 1st Mountains classification 1st Combined classification 1st Stages 1, 7, 10 & 11 1st Overall Clásico RCN 1st Points classification 2nd Overall Vuelta a Cundinamarca 1st Points classification 1st Stages 1 & 6 1978 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1st Stage 4 1st Overall Clásico RCN 1st Points classification 1st Mountains classification 1st Combined classification 1st Stages 3a & 5 1979 1st Overall Clásico RCN 1st Combined classification 1st Stage 4 4th Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1980 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia 1st Stages 6 & 13 1981 1st Stage 11 Vuelta a Colombia