A seeming shoo-in for winning the Tour de France, Nairo Quintana focused his efforts on Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. The last time a rider has won both was Alberta Contador in 2008.
Last year, Quintana finished the Tour second overall, as well as achieving the king of the mountains title and a mountaintop stage win. He decided to skip the Tour after winning the Giro.
He admits that “The route of the Tour this year is interesting, I would have liked to have been there. “Unfortunately I’m not there, but this year we’ve taken this decision [to ride the Giro] and it hasn’t gone badly.”
With respect to the Vuelta, the Columbian Movistar team rider will be co-leading the team with Spaniard Alejandro Valverde. Quintana spoke on this at a press conference in Bogota.
“We’ll go with two leaders to this Vuelta, which is so important for the team. We’ll work together, and I think the stronger rider at the time will have the support of the other. I don’t think it matters that he is a Spaniard at the Vuelta a España because the team has made it clear that we’re working for Movistar Team, and not for a Colombian or a Spaniard. Depending on how the race goes, we’ll see who is stronger and who takes the lead.”
Quintana knows his plan to win both the Giro and the Vuelta is ambitious, but stated “I don’t see it as impossible.” His only race between the two will be the Vuelta a Burgos.
Last Updated on April 29, 2023
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