We’re here now: it’s time Tour of Italy. Among its protagonists there is one who appears behind the scenes, but who was an important name in the pink race, so much so that he won it in 2014. You will have understood that we are talking about Nairo Quintana.
The Colombian ace returned to the court this winter after his controversial doping incidents Eusebio Unzue, at the Movistar so. The team that launched him into the pros a dozen years ago now.
Damage and pain
Nairo is no longer, at least for now, what it once was. Either due to his age, perhaps because young people are advancing and perhaps due to a fall that slowed him down significantly in the spring, so much so that he even missed the Tour of the Basque Country. In fact, a few weeks earlier, at Catalunya, Quintana ended up on the ground twice, resulting in injury to a sternum tendon and dislocation of a collarbone.
Damages that cast doubt on participation in the Giro d’Italia, especially after having also said no to the Tour of the Alps. Also because, as he himself said, in addition to the pain there was uncertainty. The uncertainty of a particular injury, for which the recovery times were not fully known.
Quintana, in agreement with the team, flew to Colombia. At least there, despite being at home, he could take advantage of the effect of the altitude and was always able to receive treatment there. He did it with a doctor from the Colombian cycling federation at the headquarters of his “home” football club in Tunja, Boyacá Chicó, which plays in the first division.
Even on a mountain bike?
Quintana is no stranger to preparing alone at home, then coming to Europe, racing and doing well, but at 34 years old everything is more complicated, especially after an injury. Furthermore, it seems that in the first days after the fall he could not pedal on the road bike and used a mountain bike, which allowed him a more suitable arm position for his problem. In short, it is not the ideal path.
Nairo is expected in Italy a few days before the big departure from Turin. He himself declared that he suffered a lot. «It was tough – he told Ciclismo a Fondo – I will arrive at the Giro d’Italia not as I wanted or in the best conditions, but I will race well and certainly at the end of the last week I will be much better than at the beginning.”
We too are almost certain that it will continue to grow. However, Nairo is not an ordinary runner. The talent is there and the engine remains powerful, even if it is no longer ready to fight for the general classification.
We must then consider two other aspects: in 2023 he did not compete and this counts. And between Covid at the end of February and the fall at Catalunya, he made a mistake just 15 days of racing.
For the stages
So what can Quintana do in the pink race? «I will aim for the stages», this is the summary of his speech on the occasion of the presentation of his Granfondo which will be held at the end of June.
Respecting tradition, Movistar presents a team not only for the climbs, but also for the sprints, thanks to the presence of another exceptional Colombian, Fernando Gaviria. Then for the mountains there will be Quintana and Rubio, without forgetting Pelayo Sanchez.
«I ed Einer Rubio towe go to the Giro d’Italia to try for victory in the mountain stages – he said – we will give our best to do it. The two times I came to the Giro it went well. If I look back it doesn’t seem possible that ten years have already passed since I won the Giro. But remembering it today excites me a lot.” Among other things, curiously, given that Nairo spoke of a growing condition for the finale, for the penultimate stage the Giro proposes Monte Grappa, where he won ten years ago.
While it is very recent history that Quintana was seen, and filmed, during a training session on the climbs in his area. He was pedaling really well, pushing hard and even standing up on the pedals, a sign that the traction with the arm, collarbone and sternum is also fine.
