🇨🇴🙌🏼 Viva Colombia, viva el @TourColombiaOfi Han sido dos semanas maravillosas. Gracias por todo vuestro cariño. Iván Sosa terminó entre los 10 primeros de la general, @fndogaviria se llevó una etapa… y el jefe @nairoquinco volvió, como hoy en Bogotá, a encontrarse con su…
"The great champions need to put pressure on themselves" - Despite illness, Nairo Quintana disappointed with lack of result at Tour Colombia
CyclingMonday, 12 February 2024 at 12:15
Nairo Quintana is an absolute superstar in Colombia, and was one of the riders in highlight this week at the Tour Colombia. Originally a favourite for the overall classification, 'Nairoman' was taken down by a flu which wrecked his chances of a successful comeback to the peloton.
“He had the flu, that’s what happened, nothing more. It’s nothing to worry about," team DS Pablo Lastras shared with Cyclingnews following the Colombian's demise at the brutal Alto del Vino. "He felt a bit blocked from being at his full shape but it’s nothing alarming, nothing worrying. Nairo puts a lot of pressure of himself racing here, but I think the great champions need to put pressure on themselves. They have to know how to manage it and Nairo knows how to do that, because he’s a winner.”
Quintana looked in fine form at the national championships the week beforehand, putting in fine performances both in the time-trial and road race. In the first stages of the week he looked to be in regular pace, but the 30-kilometer long Alto del Vino exposed his ongoing weakness. Quintana had been ill and was dropped early on, not contesting for the stage win or overall classification.
“The original plan was for Nairo to start at the Volta Valenciana, but then this race was confirmed late – at the end of November, I think – so we quickly changed his calendar. We had to have him here – for Nairo himself, for the country, for the brand, for the federation," Lastras added. "He’s sort of the ambassador of the country. So he had to be here, and he wanted to be here.”
In the results sheet however lays a relatively absent 19th spot, which will matter little. A return to competition however is important after a year without being in a World Tour peloton. Experience that will be valuable for the 34-year old, who is looking to build up towards the Giro d'Italia this spring. Quintana is expected to return to Europe soon, and race O Gran Camiño where he will be face to face with the likes of Jonas Vingegaard and Cian Uijtdebroeks.
“It’s clear that a year without competition has cost him quite a bit, because cycling is all about changes of rhythm,” Luis Fernando Saldarriaga, previously a coach of the Colombian rider, added. “He has to get used to these changes of rhythm again, and that will take time.”
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- Thanks Dadmobk22-12-2024
- Hard to believe with the advancment of modern medicine he can not find a cause for this.frieders321-12-2024
- You continue to platform these two cheats. With that in mind I can no longer use your site. I know my leaving means little, but, sometimes you have to take a stand. See ya!DJ21-12-2024
- Look at what Froome’s won since his last TdF, stop denying there is still more than possible one outcome to the future.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Bruyneel understands nothing about clean competition.Sweep21-12-2024
- Exactly. Remco won 3 WT races/stages last year compared to Pogocar's 19. Remco's single stage win in last years TdF earned him a meager 12 seconds over Pogocar who shellac'd him by 9 minutes in GC.Sweep21-12-2024
- Fortunately and as you point out, more than one strategy is possible and worth trying and I’m sure all concerned riders are well informed and counselled on this subject and don’t need such basic personal advice through media from an outsider.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- The main SPOTY award is "decided" by public vote but the BBC "expert panel" decide who you can choose from, that choice has an equal split of genders and is focussed on the sports BBC show and a disabled athlete. Oh yea the ubiquitous "Pub Games" candidate there too, Darts and Snooker are not sports. The other awards are decided by the "Expert Panel" again it's about the sports BBC show, cycling has had it. Cav got his for his years and achievements in the sport, not just that 35th TDF win. Unless the BBC get access to Pro Cycling it will never feature "adequately" on SPOTYslappers6621-12-2024
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- Avoiding him is a good strategy, you get more wins and then you can compete in the TDF relatively relaxed. Pit yourself against Pogi and not only there will be no wins, it will be considerable mental setbackabstractengineer21-12-2024