We are in the middle of May with the Giro d'Italia in progress and Nairo Quintana still hasn't found a team. In this article we try to explain the reasons why the talented Colombian cyclist is at home training and not competing.
1. He appealed his sanction to CAS.
The main reason why Nairo is unemployed is simple and well known: he went against the UCI, he went against the system, and that pays. He tested positive for tramadol at the 2022 Tour de France and was punished for it. If he had not appealed his sanction in the CAS.
2. The MPCC
The Movement for Credible Cycling has been going after him since his sanction became known and, given that it is an organization made up of several of the main WorldTour teams, it closes many doors for him.
3. The economic and sporting aspect.
Nairo Quintana has always been a leader in the teams in which he has competed (Movistar Team and Arkéa Samsic) and in the middle of the year all the teams have their leaders' places covered. Another aspect is the economic one, since, as former rider Víctor Hugo Peña commented at the time, the very high salary that the Colombian would demand would also be an obstacle for his possible landing in a team.
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4. A question of space.
We are halfway through the season and almost all the teams have their rider places covered. The journalist who has more direct contact with Nairo and his entourage, Georgina Ruiz, comments: "I have spoken with sports directors and they told me that they could not include him because they no longer had room on their payroll".
5. More than one year
The last aspect that would be complicating things for Nairo Quintana to sign for a team is that he would not want to sign for one year, he would want to sign for at least 2, also in the words of Georgia Ruiz: "Nairo is a leader and will not sign for one year, he would sign for at least two, which complicates his joining a team".
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Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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"Dimos como siempre lo máximo. Desde 2009 que empecé a representar el país, siempre lo he hecho con el mayor orgullo": @NairoQuinCo El colombiano finalizó en el puesto 66 en la prueba de ruta élite que dio fin a las competencias del Campeonato Mundial #Wollongong2022 🇦🇺🚴♂️🇨🇴
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