Nairo Quintana's absence causes struggle for Arkéa Samsic points and results wise

The Tour de France is the most important competition in world cycling and every year the teams prepare hard to face the challenge of the mountain stages, time trials and the fight for the general classification. However, for Arkea Samsic, the reality in this Tour de France is very different from last year, when they counted on the presence of Nairo Quintana.

On the Ciclismocolombiano website, they say that the difference between the Arkea Samsic of the 2022 Tour de France and the current 2023 team is impressive. With Quintana in their ranks, the French team was a force to be reckoned with, managing to figure in the top 10 of the general classification until the first rest day. At that point, they were just 2 minutes and 13 seconds behind leader Tadej Pogacar.

However, at present, without Nairo Quintana, Arkea Samsic practically goes unnoticed. They are currently ranked 39th in the 2023 French round, with Warren Barguil as team leader. But the gap to overall leader Jonas Vingegaard is overwhelming, with a gap of 46 minutes and 4 seconds.

Not only in the general classification has the French team been affected, but also in the stage-races. So far, Arkea Samsic has failed to score any victories on the WorldTour circuit so far this year. These results reinforce the idea that Nairo Quintana's presence was the key to the team's success in the past. Some argue that it wasn't just Quintana who rode Arkea Samsic's rise to the top flight. However, in the absence of the Colombian cyclist, the results clearly show the weight he had in the French bloc. The lack of a reference has weakened the team and left a considerable gap in its performance.

Arkea Samsic clearly misses Nairo Quintana and his influence on the team. Without his presence, the team has failed to excel at the 2023 Tour de France and finds itself in the relegation zone. The lack of victories on the WorldTour circuit so far this year is also a clear indication of the team's loss of strength and prominence without its former leader.

As the Tour de France progresses, it is becoming increasingly clear that Arkea Samsic misses Nairo Quintana. His absence has become a determining factor in the team's poor performance in cycling's most important competition. It remains to be seen how the French team will be able to adapt and overcome this situation, but for now, the data doesn't lie: without Quintana, Arkea Samsic has lost its place on the Tour de France map.