Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re:

Ryo maybe you should tell quintana about froome's recuperation, seems he still doesn't know.

this is hilarious. the guy at age 25 has made 1 mistake and you are believing he will repeat this mistake for the rest of his career

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

Ryo maybe you should tell quintana about froome's recuperation, seems he still doesn't know.

this is hilarious. the guy at age 25 has made 1 mistake and you are believing he will repeat this mistake for the rest of his career

Next mistake was saying he lost the tour because of the echelons. I don't think he recognized the problem yet.

 

[Red Rick]

I think we can basically garuantee Quintana will be more agressive this year. Already got 2nd twice. No Valverde to babysit to 3rd place

 

[rick james]

Re:

quintana already had better wattage than froome in every stage except the first mountainstage. without the wind stage quintana would've won the tour. this year no chance for wind and even so doubtful quintana wouldn't make it

Amazing you still try and convince us this as a fact

 

[Miburo]

Re:

I think we can basically garuantee Quintana will be more agressive this year. Already got 2nd twice. No Valverde to babysit to 3rd place

But this year he'll be down even more prob. In that ITT he's at least gonna lose 1.30 min, maybe 2 min

 

[rick james]

Re: Re:

quintana already had better wattage than froome in every stage except the first mountainstage. without the wind stage quintana would've won the tour. this year no chance for wind and even so doubtful quintana wouldn't make it

Yep,after this Dauphine I think he has a slightly bigger chance than those 2
OTOH I would not write off Alberto,his racing style is too dangerous for that (and god knows what legs he will have)


I wouls like to see Froome heart rate and wattage from today,it looked too "redish" for june imo

we have enough videos out there showing Froome's heart rate, and Sky told us after a stage at last years tor about his heart rate, what good will another video be?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

I think we can basically garuantee Quintana will be more agressive this year. Already got 2nd twice. No Valverde to babysit to 3rd place

But this year he'll be down even more prob. In that ITT he's at least gonna lose 1.30 min, maybe 2 min

ahhaah. froome is lucky to get 1 minute on quintana in that itt. and quintana will easily take 2 minutes back in the mountains like last year

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

quintana already had better wattage than froome in every stage except the first mountainstage. without the wind stage quintana would've won the tour. this year no chance for wind and even so doubtful quintana wouldn't make it

Amazing you still try and convince us this as a fact

quintana lost 1:28 in wind, froome won the tour with 1:12 margin, so he lost the tour in the wind. these are what people call facts

 

[PremierAndrew]

How exactly do you know that Quintana wouldn't have attacked even later, and as a result gained less time, if he 1:28 further up?

How do you know Froome didn't ease up towards the end of the final stage when he knew he won it and there was no point in pushing himself that much further into the red?

It's pure speculation if Quintana would have won without the time split in the crosswinds.

 

[Hayabusa]

Re: Re:

quintana already had better wattage than froome in every stage except the first mountainstage. without the wind stage quintana would've won the tour. this year no chance for wind and even so doubtful quintana wouldn't make it

Amazing you still try and convince us this as a fact

quintana lost 1:28 in wind, froome won the tour with 1:12 margin, so he lost the tour in the wind. these are what people call facts

Except that anyone with half a brain would realise that if Quintana hadn't lost 1.28 in the wind then all of the stages that followed would most likely not have resulted in the exact same results...

But hey, that's just what people call facts.

 

[rick james]

you can't say for a fact that the dawg wouldn't have attacked more in the mountains if he didn't have that buffer from the windy day....riding in the wind is part of winning Le tour and Quintana couldn't do it...the fact is Froome won it because he is a better bike racer than Nairo and thats why he is a 2 time TDF champ

 

[Põhja Konn]

When comparing the level they showed throughout the mountain stages, then only on PSM stage was Froome clearly stronger. And that was really a flat stage ending with a tough climb. On Plateau de Beille, he probably could have dropped Quintana, had he desperately needed that, but very likely would have hurt himself more than Nairo, while doing it.

In Mende, on shortish steep finishing climb, which suits Froome's abilities much better, he was actually on the back foot for most of the climb, despite outsprinting Quintana at the end. After that Froome faded significantly. Was it because the illness (as he and his team understandably maintain) or was the illness more like a symptom, we do not really now.

Should Quintana have done more to try to win? Of course, although I strongly believe Valverde's podium aspirations got in his way. As such, I don't think downplaying the importance of the time lost in echelons is correct, although it is not right to say it was the sole reason Quitana lost the Tour

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

I think we can basically garuantee Quintana will be more agressive this year. Already got 2nd twice. No Valverde to babysit to 3rd place

But this year he'll be down even more prob. In that ITT he's at least gonna lose 1.30 min, maybe 2 min

Nonsense Miburo and you know it.

 

[AlexNYC]

Quintana's loss cannot be attributed solely to the echelons, but that was a huge factor. He would have lost time to Froome in other places very probably, but nothing close to the 1:28 he lost in that stage.

When I've rewatched parts of that Tour, I've always been struck by how great Thomas, Porte, and Poels were; those three saved Froome more than once. In Alpe d'Huez alone, Quintana would have put minutes into Froome without Porte and Poels pacing him. In the end, that's what won that Tour, Sky was a lot better than Movistar. The echelons loss was Movistar screwing up as a team, Valverde's role was another example of that. Looking at these year's squads, Sky looks even stronger. And Valverde is again part of the team; I don't see Valverde killing himself like Thomas or Poels last year just so that a teammate wins.

All that said, Nairo is probably better and these route suits him better too, even with the ITTs. I think Froome is the favorite, but Nairo is extremely close.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

valverde has his prize of third in the tour. he will 100% commit himself to quintana. I'm sure of that

 

[AlexNYC]

Re:

valverde has his prize of third in the tour. he will 100% commit himself to quintana. I'm sure of that

He won't try to surreptitiously run his own race, but his big target is the olympics. His never going to endanger that for Quintana's sake.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re: Re:

valverde has his prize of third in the tour. he will 100% commit himself to quintana. I'm sure of that

He won't try to surreptitiously run his own race, but his big target is the olympics. His never going to endanger that for Quintana's sake.

he won't endanger that by going full in the tour. nor will he think so. even last year he risked his podium place in the final stage. he will definitely go all in this year

 

[MovistarRider]

Quintana ready for Froome’s attacks in Tour

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) knows that in order to become Latin America’s first yellow jersey, he needs to get past two-time winner Chris Froome (Sky).

After twice finishing second to Froome in two Tour starts, Quintana said he’s tweaked his training in order to take on the Sky captain in the decisive climbing stages in next month’s Tour de France.

“Froome’s attacks [in 2015] were very strong, and no one could follow them,” Quintana said Friday at a press conference. “We hope we can withstand the rhythm of the attacks. I’ve prepared well, and I’ve made some training to do these changes of rhythm, and wait until the heart-rate hits 200.”

Quintana remains in Colombia, skipping both the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse, and will return to Europe later this week to race the Route du Sud.

On Friday, Quintana spoke extensively about his approach to the 2016 Tour during a press conference in Colombia. After winning two races in Europe (Romandie and Catalunya) and finishing on the podium at two others (País Vasco and Tour de San Luís), the Colombian is quietly confident he can make history.

Here are highlights of what he had to say:

On targeting Tour: Of course, I’m going for the Tour. I’ve prepared well, and I want to win, and want to share this joy with all Colombians. That’s why I am asking people to share my “yellow jersey dream” (sueño amarillo) and support me. Winning the Tour has always been my dream. When I used to ride with my friends, they laughed at me when I said my dream was to win the Tour one day. And here I am, always improving, and thanks to the support I receive from Movistar, because without them, we wouldn’t be the artists in this big circus.

On experience: I am still learning a lot, and the race teaches you so many things: how to read the maps, the wind, the rain, how to adapt to every situation. You try to learn so you do not commit the same errors and lose the race.


On approach to 2016 Tour: Last year, I was coming off an injury at the 2014 Vuelta a España, and I barely had a chance to rest, and I was always thinking about the Tour. We lost the Tour last year for the stage in the crosswinds [stage 2]. This year, I had a chance to recover well, and I prepared perfectly, and the spring went better than ever before. My level is higher, and I think it’s for the maturity that I am gaining year to year. I’m similar to last year, but with more maturity and tranquility, knowing that I have a great team that is going to back me up.

On being a favorite to win: It doesn’t bother me at all. Some say Froome, others Contador. More than pressure, it’s the support and positive energy I feel from everyone. The children yell, ‘Nairoman is going to win the Tour!’ That fills me with great emotion, and every day you wake up, you work hard to fulfill the dream, not just for myself, but for all Colombians.

On racing Route du Sud (June 16-19): I’ll do because the last cycle of races ended a month ago, and it’s also a very hard race ahead of the Tour. I’ve done it a few times; I won in 2012, and last year I was second. It gives me the rhythm I need without having to push myself to the limit. It has some good mountains and the French roads are perfect for finishing off the preparation. And it also gives us more time at altitude, and that allows me to arrive at the Tour in very good condition. If I did the Dauphiné, I would have fewer days at altitude. After the Route du Sud, it’s eat, sleep and train, and wait until the start of the Tour.

On Movistar support: I think Dani Moreno will be key to help me in the final week. Valverde was at a very high level at the Giro, and he wants to focus on the Olympics, and will come to the Tour to help me completely, and he’s another card to play in the final week. It’s a shame about Malori’s crash in Argentina, and he’s still recovering. We haven’t had good luck with the falls and crashes this year, but we still have a good team.

On Tour route: I’ve seen almost all the climbs, either on bike or by car, and I like them. They’re long, including even longer than some of the climbs in the Colombia, and I think they’re good for me. I’m excited about returning to Mont Ventoux. When I escaped in 2013, I was nearly dead and couldn’t breath at the finish, because I attacked from far away. So this year, I will make a similar attack to see how my rivals respond. There are hard stages that I really like, such as Mont Ventoux, Emosson, of high mountains, and something special for me is Morzine, where I won a stage in the 2012 Dauphiné.

On time trials: The time trials will be very important for the GC. Maybe last year’s course was better for me, but I don’t mind this year’s route at all, and the only thing it has is the time trial. I think we’ve improved a lot in time trials, and later there is the climbing time trial. It’s a good course. Before, I lost a lot of time in the time trial, this year, however, I was second at the Basque Country tour, and it was because of an error that I lost the stage. I was also strong at Romandie, and I’ve improved in these things.

On Olympic Games: I know I will be in the running for the Olympics coming out of the Tour with very good form, like I’ve done before, winning the Vuelta a Burgos [in 2013 and 2014]. The Tour gives you a high level of fitness and race rhythm. I think I will be very close to the podium and medals coming from the Tour.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

quintana already had better wattage than froome in every stage except the first mountainstage. without the wind stage quintana would've won the tour. this year no chance for wind and even so doubtful quintana wouldn't make it

Yep,after this Dauphine I think he has a slightly bigger chance than those 2
OTOH I would not write off Alberto,his racing style is too dangerous for that (and god knows what legs he will have)


I wouls like to see Froome heart rate and wattage from today,it looked too "redish" for june imo

we have enough videos out there showing Froome's heart rate, and Sky told us after a stage at last years tor about his heart rate, what good will another video be?

I said from "today"(yesterday respectively)...I think he can be in peak too early,maybe not tho

Btw Quintana will gain time onn Froome in that mtt in the 3rd imho

 

[Forever The Best]

He already said that he would be more defensive.I can't see any good things that this will bring.

 

[Jspear]

@MoviestarRider - thanks for the interview!

He's going to win the Tour.

 

[Forever The Best]

Re:

He already said that he would be more defensive.I can't see any good things that this will bring.

Didn't see the part that he would attack earlier.Good news.Maybe he learned from his mistakes.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

He already said that he would be more defensive.I can't see any good things that this will bring.

So if he said it a year ago then it becomes gospel regardless of the many variables that might happen?

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

He already said that he would be more defensive.I can't see any good things that this will bring.

Whats this agenda, can't you let it rest? He obviously won't wait again, he even stated in the interview that he wanted to do a similar attack on Ventoux.

Tranquillo, amigo. Valverde is done and dusted now, don't act like it didn't matter.

 

[hrotha]

Saying Quintana lost the Tour in the crosswinds is like thinking Aru would've won last year's Giro without the ITT.