"I try to make the most of every piece of advice": Nairo Quintana takes proper care of his successor at Movistar
Cycling
At just 21, Diego Pescador has already shed the rookie tag at Movistar Team. After stepping up to the WorldTour in 2025, the Colombian starts his second season with greater confidence and the backing of a team that sees in him the return of the pure climber profile. Early-season results support that trajectory: he was second in Classica Camp de Morvedre and finished eighth overall at the Tour of Oman, where he also won the young riders’ classification.
The rider himself acknowledges his growth compared to last year. "This year I’m even better than I expected. I paid my dues last year and now everything’s rolling," he says in an interview with AS.
The Colombian explains that last season’s calendar did not always suit his strengths: "It wasn’t very suitable for me, for my characteristics, racing in events that maybe weren’t ideal. In others, like Asturias and Burgos, I was able to show a bit of my quality."
Looking to this year, he expects a shift in focus that lets him shine on his terrain. !I’ll have a calendar that’s better for showing myself on the climbs, which is where I’m at my best. I know I have to improve some things like the flat," he admits.
The goal of becoming a GC rider
Pescador is clear about the direction of his career. To follow in the footsteps of Colombian legends - Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán, Esteban Chaves, and the still young Egan Bernal - and to become a GC rider Movistar will be able to rely on. But there's still a long way to go from top-10 at Tour of Oman to top-10 a Grand Tour. One of the areas Pescador knows requires some work is his time trial.
"These improvements are something I need to work on with my coach, especially if I want to be in the fight at week-long races that include a time trial," he explains. His ambition is evident: "I’ve always wanted to be a general classification rider."
A debut at a Grand Tour in 2026 remains uncertain, but he does not hide his excitement. "Going to a Grand Tour this year? It’s an unknown. If it were up to me? Of course. I’d like to test myself in a Grand Tour, see what the suffering is like after the tenth day… I’m very motivated by how things are going."
His immediate target is to cement his place within the team: "Now it’s time to keep growing and establish myself as one of the references."
Diego Pescador wants to take a step up in 2026
The influence of Nairo Quintana
Based in the Tuscan region of Italy, Pescador shares a room with one of his great role models, Nairo Quintana, with whom he recently raced in Oman. "He’s an idol for many, myself included, and here he’s the boss. I try to make the most of every piece of advice, on and off the bike, because it’s not all cycling," the young Colombian highlights.
In the final classification of the Tour of Oman, Quintana finished one second ahead of his young successor, a symbolic snapshot of the generational change under way at the team. It is a natural transition in which both still have plenty to contribute.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment