"I dont' have any remorse": Nairo Quintana still enjoys racing despite in the face of retirement

Nairo Quintana accepts that the end of his career is closer than it is far. The 36-year-old rider does not set a specific date, but he does recognise that the conclusion of his professional chapter is approaching. In the meantime, he will race his 11th season with Movistar Team in 2026, the team to which he has been tied for most of his career and with which he achieved his greatest successes.

"The truth is I’ve felt good, and first you have to enjoy it and make the most of it when you can," the Colombian told AS in an interview, pleased that his legs are still responding. That competitive edge was clear recently at the Tour of Oman, where on the climb to Green Mountain he came very close to victory and to Chris Froome’s record.

"I think I’ve had the chance to really look after myself, to stay healthy, and when health holds up, the body responds very well. That’s what brings me joy and motivates me to keep up there at the front," says Nairo, convinced that consistency and professionalism have been key to staying competitive against younger generations.

As for his future, Quintana does not envisage a total break from cycling: "I’m quite restless and I’d like to keep training academically. And later on there will be different things. For now we also have family projects, our gran fondo that’s held every year, a very complete sports festival. The day I decide to leave the bike I’ll surely be busy and linked to sport, above all its promotion and education."

Although he admits that accepting the passage of time is not easy, he does not dramatise it either. "You can see my retirement is closer because I’m no longer 20 or 25, I’m 36, and even though it’s hard for the head to accept, time has passed and I've seen many generations go by, and I'm still here pedalling at a good level and enjoying it. For now I’m going to keep enjoying it, and later I’ll see what happens when the time comes."

With a palmarès that includes a Giro d’Italia and a Vuelta a España, plus multiple Tour de France podiums, Quintana insists he has no unfinished business: "Winning, I always want to win everything, but I don’t have a thorn in my side or any remorse because when you give everything, there’s nothing to reproach. I prepared well and then the result was what it was, giving my maximum. I never let myself go, I never turned up overweight, never out of time, always with maximum professionalism."

He even reflects on the physical evolution of today’s peloton: "I saw some young riders and they’re all super tall, another prototype of cyclist, and I started thinking about these lighter riders and even about myself, how much we have to battle to face all of them because, in terms of power and body type, they have a big advantage, and what we’ve achieved is really worthy. I’m very happy with what I’ve done."

Without nostalgia or complaints, Nairo is riding his final seasons with the calm of someone who knows he has marked an era and that, when the time comes, he will remain connected to the sport that gave him everything.