Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Vino attacks everyone]

when was the last time he produced a great mountain stage? Not being bitchy, genuinely wonder because I do fear he's regressing a bit as a cyclist?

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

when was the last time he produced a great mountain stage? Not being bitchy, genuinely wonder because I do fear he's regressing a bit as a cyclist?

Blockhaus in the 2017 Giro and Terminillo in the 2017 Tirreno

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Re: Re:

when was the last time he produced a great mountain stage? Not being bitchy, genuinely wonder because I do fear he's regressing a bit as a cyclist?

Blockhaus in the 2017 Giro and Terminillo in the 2017 Tirreno

Ah yes, BLockhaus was impressive.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I would like to add Arosa TdSuisse 2018
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-suisse/2018/stage-7

 

[Valv.Piti]

I reckon he will be the 4th or 5th best climber in the Pyrenees if the weather will be a bit cooler like today. Thats obviously still good enough, but better than what was the abomination of Alpe d Huez.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re: Re:

I think with Nairo the problem is his peaks are nowhere near where they used to be. His base level has become insanely high, which is why he is able to win a lot of build-up races early in the season, but he doesn't get much better than that anymore. As soon as the big races start, the others, who were weaker (so to say) initially, surpass him. I disagree with the earlier mentioned Blockhaus as well, it wasn't too convincing. He might have won, but it wasn't *that* Nairo that nearly won the Tour de France simply be outclimbing everyone.

I feel like a change of scenery would do him well. Maybe Vino will be able to get him on the right track again, because I don't believe you go from best climber of the peloton, to just another above average climber in a span of two to three years, when you're in your late 20's.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re: Re:

I think with Nairo the problem is his peaks are nowhere near where they used to be. His base level has become insanely high, which is why he is able to win a lot of build-up races early in the season, but he doesn't get much better than that anymore. As soon as the big races start, the others, who were weaker (so to say) initially, surpass him. I disagree with the earlier mentioned Blockhaus as well, it wasn't too convincing. He might have won, but it wasn't *that* Nairo that nearly won the Tour de France simply be outclimbing everyone.

I feel like a change of scenery would do him well. Maybe Vino will be able to get him on the right track again, because I don't believe you go from best climber of the peloton, to just another above average climber in a span of two to three years, when you're in your late 20's.

I agree. Blockhaus is remembered as a dominant climbing performance because he blew Pinot and Nibali off his wheel pretty early. But in the end he didn't really gain that much on Dumoulin and Pinot who in theory shouldn't be his caliber of climber. He was good but not the Quintana from 2013 to 2015 who regularly climbed on a different level than every other gc rider. Remember him gaining minutes on other great climbers on the stelvio stage in 2014 despite climbing the whole last climb on his own? Or him gaining a minute on Froome on the alpe in 2015? Nothing he has done the last two seasons was quite as impressive.

 

[Serpentin]

He looks heavier then before.

 

[Escarabajo]

If he can shed some pounds between now and Tuesday he will be flying on Tuesday and Wednesday. (sarcasm). Obviously I don't think that is going to happen. Pyrenees are usually very hot. That will affect him further more under his actual circumstances.

He will miss this opportunity in the future!

 

[IndianCyclist]

If weight(~2 kg heavier) was the issue then the team could have easily caught it at the TOS and corrected it by the TDF. Anyway weight is something that would be monitored throughout the season, The team would tell him if something was off with his weight

 

[Moviefan1203]

He doesn’t like heat?

 

[Escarabajo]

I am not sure if likes it. I know he performs better in cooler weather.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Re:

I am not sure if likes it. I know he performs better in cooler weather.

The race is far from over.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

In my opinion he looked relatively good today. He was able to stay with the main GC contenders on the steeper part of the climb without leaving any gaps, but wasn't able to hold the wheel of more powerful riders when it evened out in the end.

Yeah he looked a bit better but relatively good won't win the race or probably make the podium. The first four are clearly stronger than everyone else at the moment. One of them will have to crack badly to let others back in now as all four have a good TT.

 

[Koronin]

He doesn't. I remember a discussion about it back during the Vuelta in either 2014 or 2015. He doesn't like the heat and doesn't perform nearly as well when it's hot. Basically the hotter it gets the worse he performs.

 

[del1962]

he was ok on PSM 2015 in the heat

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

he was ok on PSM 2015 in the heat

Of course, but there is a tendency of him performing better when its more mild as opposed to +30 degrees.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

he was ok on PSM 2015 in the heat

I read that as PCM 2015 and thought that efficiently ended that discussion

 

[Amazinmets87]

If Quintana has legs will we see a long range attack?

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

If Quintana has legs will we see a long range attack?

Two 50 metre attacks ? More chance Landa attacks I think but Quintana may try something on the last climb. Test the waters.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I think if NQ attacks, it's gotta be on that first climb to try and stay away. If he goes on the last climb, he won't be able to stay away as the rest of the GC will be looking to get something from the stage. I would like to see him succeed somehow in this race just to give his confidence a boost as he hasn't lived up to expectation (in his own and his fans mind) for a while now.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

he was ok on PSM 2015 in the heat

Of course, but there is a tendency of him performing better when its more mild as opposed to +30 degrees.

I really wonder if not wearing the white jersey consistently may actually hurt him with the heat.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

he was ok on PSM 2015 in the heat

Of course, but there is a tendency of him performing better when its more mild as opposed to +30 degrees.

I really wonder if not wearing the white jersey consistently may actually hurt him with the heat.

There was a change of shirts for this year for a reason!

 

[Koronin]

Re:

If Quintana has legs will we see a long range attack?

At this point if he actually puts in a real attack I think everyone will be shocked. Landa is much more likely to try something, esp since he said he's feeling better.

 

[Red Rick]

Long range where? There's 2 places to attack left in this Tour, and both are very obvious, so it's not really a matter of choice, even if you have the legs.