"I will continue to prepare myself well for the next Tour de France" - Nairo Quintana on comeback to racing

Nairo Quintana has came out of La Route d'Occitanie with good sensations. Although not having achieved a top result, he reports a good comeback to racing with a decent performance in the Pyrenees after a training camp - on roads near those that will decide the Tour de France this coming month.

“It’s a good race to get back into the rhythm of competition. It was very hot, hellish, which made us tired," Quintana said after the four-day stage-race. After recovering from the injuries suffered at the Tour of Turkey earlier in the year, Quintana has switched his focus towards the Tour de France and La Route d'Occitanie was the race he selected to make the final preparations. He was one of the main favourites for the overall classification win, but finished in seventh place after suffering in the heat.

“The Route d’Occitanie is my race after the first part of the season. A good race to get back into the rhythm of competition...I will continue to prepare myself well for the next Tour de France," he had said at the end of the third stage where he was active in the mountains, however failed to finish with the best and had to settle with an eighth place. In the final day of racing he was once again active in the crosswinds, however he wasn't alone and so didn't manage to improve his classification.

He won't be alone, but the Colombian will be leading Arkéa Samsic into the Tour with some hopes of fighting for a high overall classification in a route that features a lot of mountainous stages and high altitude, however stage wins are also a possibility.