Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Põhja Konn]

On his day, he is still the best climber in the world, but he has lost that consistently high base level that, earlier in his career, allowed him to podium any given GT even when clearly below his best. Nowadays, when he is off his game, he is really average.

 

[Red Rick]

I mean obviously the tour vuelta double wasn't an issue in 2016 but he was clearly fading massively towards the end of the race last season and that cannot simply be explained with inconsistency.

I think it's basically the same thing. If you're better on average, you also have to reach less and suffer less, and you have slightly more capacity to recover and all that.

 

[tobydawq]

On his day, he is still the best climber in the world, but he has lost that consistently high base level that, earlier in his career, allowed him to podium any given GT even when clearly below his best. Nowadays, when he is off his game, he is really average.

The best in the world, no less?

 

[Põhja Konn]

The best in the world, no less?

I believe so, yes - at least for now. When everything works out right for him, he still has the highest ceiling of any current riders when it comes to climbing. Ability (or lack of it) to back it up day after day doesn't really matter in current context.

 

[Noddy97]

I will not praise him because I know he's going to disappointing me at stage 5 ( hope I'm wrong)

So obvious. He is not a gt contender anymore. How can he lose 1 minute in 3 km?

 

[ice&fire]

He should give up the GTs and go to the classics

 

[Forever The Best]

He should give up the GTs and go to the classics

I would like to see him try to win Lombardia.

 

[DFA123]

So obvious. He is not a gt contender anymore. How can he lose 1 minute in 3 km?

Seemed like a decent ride to me. Not at his best, but limited his losses to the extent that he's still 3rd overall, just 23 seconds off the lead.

 

[Noddy97]

Seemed like a decent ride to me. Not at his best, but limited his losses to the extent that he's still 3rd overall, just 23 seconds off the lead.

Decent ride? I would say decent ride if he was racing for top 5, not for the win. He lost 54 seconds for a rival.

 

[DFA123]

Decent ride? I would say decent ride if he was racing for top 5, not for the win. He lost 54 seconds for a rival.

It's way too early to say yet. If that was his bad day in the first week, and he limited his losses like that, then it's a very good ride.

Either way, claiming that the guy sat in 3rd place, who was 4th best on the climb today, is 'not a GT contender anymore' seems a bit premature.

 

[Red Rick]

Still leads Valverde in GC lol.

The way the stage went down was 100% suited to Valverde, Roglic and MAL and 100% unsuited to Quintana

 

[tobydawq]

Still leads Valverde in GC lol.

The way the stage went down was 100% suited to Valverde, Roglic and MAL and 100% unsuited to Quintana

Yet it still proved 100% that Quintana is not per definition a better bet for GC than Valverde.

 

[DFA123]

Yet it still proved 100% that Quintana is not per definition a better bet for GC than Valverde.

Did it? I'd say it's probably about 50/50 which of the two finishes higher overall.

 

[tobydawq]

Did it? I'd say it's probably about 50/50 which of the two finishes higher overall.

That was not what I said. I said that it proved that it's not necessarily a law of nature that Quintana is the better pick of the two as many keep seeming to suggest.

Don't forget that Valverde has found a way to shed a couple of kilograms which seems to really help him in the tough mountains.

 

[DFA123]

That was not what I said. I said that it proved that it's not necessarily a law of nature that Quintana is the better pick of the two as many keep seeming to suggest.

Don't forget that Valverde has found a way to shed a couple of kilograms which seems to really help him in the tough mountains.

Right, so you meant in general terms, not based on the results today.

I don't think today has really taught us anything new, apart from possibly that Valverde isn't finished yet despite his poor year so far. Valverde at the Vuelta is generally very good on single climbs stages, even if the climb is really hard. Quintana can struggle on these and is generally better on harder days and at higher altitude.

But I don't really get why some Valverde fans are trying to present Quintana as some kind of main rival? It seems pretty clear they are co-leaders who will both potentially benefit later in the race from the other one being high on GC.

 

[F_Cance]

I wouldn't write Nairo off just yet.

 

[Rollthedice]

I wouldn't write Nairo off just yet.

Agree, though I can't see him put over 2 minutes into Roglic even if he has the legs. His dysfunctional team and Roglic's ability to suck the appropriate wheels will be a big problem.

 

[movingtarget]

On his day, he is still the best climber in the world, but he has lost that consistently high base level that, earlier in his career, allowed him to podium any given GT even when clearly below his best. Nowadays, when he is off his game, he is really average.

Yes he looks much better stage hunting these days. He can look great on one stage but has no consistency or recovery like he used to. It seems like he's a rider that peaked early in his career. Don't know why. Maybe he's lost some hunger. I wouldn't say it's the opposition. After all he was riding better against Froome when Froome was unstoppable.

 

[Blanco]

Still leads Valverde in GC lol.

The way the stage went down was 100% suited to Valverde, Roglic and MAL and 100% unsuited to Quintana

In 2016 Vuelta stage like today would suit him 100%. He just isn't good enough anymore...

 

[Escarabajo]

That was not what I said. I said that it proved that it's not necessarily a law of nature that Quintana is the better pick of the two as many keep seeming to suggest.

Don't forget that Valverde has found a way to shed a couple of kilograms which seems to really help him in the tough mountains.

Valverde should have been a better teammate and shared his weight loss formula with Quintana . If Quintana did it he would obliterate this field in La Vuelta.

 

[carton]

I think at this point maybe Quintana is thinking to himself: "Eff this. I got my stage win. If you guys want to support Valverde go ahead, it's my last race with you anyway. I'm so done with the dynamic duos and the tridents. I'd like to se Valverde win it if he can. "

I mean, Valverde looks strong. I really don't see any way a 39-year old Valverde can hold this form for three weeks, but crazier things have happened.

But then again it might be all for show.

 

[barmaher]

I thought he was super strong today.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Couple of good digs, dropped his team mate then let himself drop off at the end so his team mate could get back. Under orders. Shame, we'll never know how he would have got on for GC.

 

[Blanco]

Couple of good digs, dropped his team mate then let himself drop off at the end so his team mate could get back. Under orders. Shame, we'll never know how he would have got on for GC.

Don't worry, he'll do his own race already on Sunday, he always does...

 

[Red Rick]

Don't worry, he'll do his own race already on Sunday, he always does...

Lol the salt is real.

Is this still all because Quintana prevented Valverde from getting another top 10?

Or do we need to talk about the 2013 Worlds and 2015 Tour some more?

It's crazy how Valverde fanbois have turned on Quintana after what's basically a he said-he said situation.