Pello Bilbao: "I believe in second chances and it seems that Nairo has really shown what he wants"

Pello Bilbao talks about his 2024 season and of Nairo Quintana in a recent interview, stating that he does not believe it's unfair that Nairo Quintana returns to World Tour level.

"I'm sad not to be doing the Giro because it's the race which I've enjoyed the most and which has brought me the most success, the one in which I found myself as a racer. But I'm not doing it. I prefer to focus my energies on a single objective," Bilbao said in an interview for El País. "Up to now, I had a mentality of staying consistent throughout the season. But I want to look for clear goals so I can get a stage win like the one in this year's Tour. I don't think many people like pressure and I don't like it at all. And I don't like being in the limelight either. There are some riders whose egos get hurt when they're not seen as favourites or whatever, but it's nicer when people are surprised to see you up there. For me, that's not at all negative."

Bilbao has throughout his career always been a consistent rider, and in his most recent years he may have reached his highest level ever. The 33-year old now wants to turn that into big wins, as he did at the Tour de France this summer - where he also finished sixth. Bilbao is looking to bring in more high-quality victories for his palmarès and that may be more viable seeing that team leader Mikel Landa has left to be a supporting figure for Remco Evenepoel at Soudal - Quick-Step. "We're a team of opportunists, now, eh?"

"We're not going to have a definite leader in a lot of races, but we do have a team with a high allround level who showed that in a Tour de France, we can win with three different riders. Maybe we're lacking that key reference point, but which teams have a clear reference point that guarantees you'll win in all the top scenarios? If you've not got Remco, Vingegaard or Tadej, then it feels like you're limited to fighting for the podium. And I like the idea of fighting for stage wins rather than a fight for the podium when you can't think about overall victory," he tells.

He was also asked about Nairo Quintana, who will be returning to the World Tour after a season away due to his positive Tramadol test in 2022. "Personally, I'm in favour of teams being strict about subjects like this one, and these kinds of errors can't be permitted. But at the same time, I believe in second chances and it seems that Nairo has really shown what he wants and has fought for it really hard," Bilbao says. 

"He's stayed in form for a year, training with no other objective than to get back into the sport. I have to admit that side of it, that attitude he's had. I can't say he doesn't deserve another chance, he does deserve it and I'm pleased that Movistar have given it to him."