Nairo Quintana eases expectations after bad luck heading into Giro d'Italia: "Surely some will already come with the criticism"

Nairo Quintana arrives at the Giro d'Italia 2024 after a difficult last few weeks due to a crash at the Volta a Catalunya. That hampered his preparation for the race. Movistar Team's Colombian arrives on the 10th anniversary of his victory in the final general classification.

Along with his teammates and compatriots, Fernando Gaviria and Einer Rubio, Nairo spoke at a pre-race press conference about his feelings upon arriving in Italy . "Joy. I'm with the memories of 10 years ago. After an injury I got a month ago in the Volta a Catalunya, I didn't arrive at my best form. It has been difficult, but the memories are always nice."

"I think we have a very good team, especially for the sprint with Fernando [Gaviria], we can do very well. And then we will go to hunt the stages. We can together with Einer [Rubio] and Will [Barta].

He also wanted to get ahead of the critics, making it clear that he has not been able to prepare as he would have liked. That he is weakened after the problems he has had to face in the first part of the season.

"A couple of weeks ago I didn't even think I would be here. It's been 10 years, every time I see the color pink I feel a lot of emotions, that we live from our Movistar Team and a great emotion for my country "Colombia". Today we are all excited and in the Giro I would logically like to be there again, disputing and fighting. At the beginning of the year I was very well, in very good condition, but I had a crash and today I have to face it in a different way."

"Surely some will already come with the criticism to say that it is no longer or not worth. Because I have not arrived in the best trained way. But I hope little by little to be helping the team and teaching the young riders. I hope that in the last week I have good legs and condition to be able to take advantage of it."