Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Metabolol]

I think Valverde can win. Not by being the strongest but if the other top riders watch each other too much and someone has a bit of bad luck I think he has an opportunity to win. Movistar having two GC guys will end up helping him more than Nairo.

 

[carton]

You can say whatever you want of piti but he's a champion. And give me one champion that will race for someone else when he still has a chance, no matter how slim it is?

Greg LeMond. Chris Froome. Bernard Hinault, (very debatable). I'm sure there are dozens of other examples I cannot recall. Not always the healthiest of relationships, mind you, but these guys are professionals getting paid millions.

Remember that Valverde did some work early on for Quintana in the Vuelta, his home Tour. They'll play up his chances, but his only realistic chance at the yellow would be a win a la Sastre. But it would have to be a tactical play gone improbably right, and if his form is that high (higher than it's been in a decade, really) the odds of the likes of Contador and Nibali just letting him go up the road are minuscule. A Quintana victory in which he played a mayor role on would be more lucrative for both the team and Valverde than another fourth place.

I'm sure "el imbatido" is dying for a shot at the Tour and Unzue will give him plenty of rope. He'll go definitely for a stage win if it's there for the taking. But when the wind starts to blow I'm also quite certain that Don Eusebio knows the ship he wants to be riding, and Alejandro will know where his bread gets buttered.

 

[Angliru]

Re:

lots of Valverde fans on here but im sorry to break your bubble he aint even gonna finish top 10 trust me, he will try and grab a stage but will fail at that, TDF is a training exercise before his last real attempt to win Vuelta, believe me 7 days to go and you will all find out in the coming weeks

Sorry to break YOUR bubble but your opinion really has no bearing on the outcome. For you to believe that Valverde won't even break the top 10 after what he accomplished last year doesn't really reflect well on you.
He's shown that he's capable of competing with contenders in consecutive grand tours, finishing in the top 5 in both. He's a rare athlete. I wouldn't sell him short if I were you.

 

[Miburo]

Hinault tried to win himself first, lemond was still young. And Froome definitely didn't like it, he hated it but the big difference here is that piti is the leader of the team.

Piti don't care as much about the vuelta, as the tour and he still won that stage, not helping quintana.

 

[carton]

Re:

Hinault tried to win himself first, lemond was still young. And Froome definitely didn't like it, he hated it but the big difference here is that piti is the leader of the team.

Piti don't care as much about the vuelta, as the tour and he still won that stage, not helping quintana.

I mean, you should always take what riders say in public with a generous pinch of salt, but:

Valverde immediately underlined the point that Quintana had made rather more delicately. "The Tour route really favours him. He's the strongest climber in the race. I will do everything possible to help him with the objective of winning the Tour," said the Spanish veteran.

If that wasn't clear enough, he added: "Our one clear objective is to win the Tour with Nairo. There may well be some opportunities for the rest of the team, but nothing will stand in the way of our goal of seeing Nairo wearing the yellow jersey in Paris." And if that wasn't enough, he reasserted, "If I have to sacrifice myself for Nairo, I will do it."

 

[carton]

Re: Re:

Can you share a link?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/nairo-quintana-on-equal-gender-rights-and-winning-the-tour-de-france

 

[Flamin]

Re:

Hinault tried to win himself first, lemond was still young. And Froome definitely didn't like it, he hated it but the big difference here is that piti is the leader of the team.

Piti don't care as much about the vuelta, as the tour and he still won that stage, not helping quintana.

Quintana was already a lot better in 2013, but Movistar sent him to the Giro last year to give Valverde a final shot at the Tour. He didn't do well and now his time is over, although I expect Movistar to try and play two cards as long as possible, with the first 9 days being very favourable to Valverde.

But no way they will let Valverde continue to ride on if Quintana crashes/punctures and the help of Valverde is key to bring Nairito back or limit serious losses (so not just a few seconds).

 

[Mr.White]

Re: Re:

Hinault tried to win himself first, lemond was still young. And Froome definitely didn't like it, he hated it but the big difference here is that piti is the leader of the team.

Piti don't care as much about the vuelta, as the tour and he still won that stage, not helping quintana.

Quintana was already a lot better in 2013, but Movistar sent him to the Giro last year to give Valverde a final shot at the Tour. He didn't do well and now his time is over, although I expect Movistar to try and play two cards as long as possible, with the first 9 days being very favourable to Valverde.

But no way they will let Valverde continue to ride on if Quintana crashes/punctures and the help of Valverde is key to bring Nairito back or limit serious losses (so not just a few seconds).

No, they will let him, as they should. Just like they let Quintana in that crosswind stage in 2013. As they say never put all eggs in one basket

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Hinault tried to win himself first, lemond was still young. And Froome definitely didn't like it, he hated it but the big difference here is that piti is the leader of the team.

Piti don't care as much about the vuelta, as the tour and he still won that stage, not helping quintana.

Quintana was already a lot better in 2013, but Movistar sent him to the Giro last year to give Valverde a final shot at the Tour. He didn't do well and now his time is over, although I expect Movistar to try and play two cards as long as possible, with the first 9 days being very favourable to Valverde.

But no way they will let Valverde continue to ride on if Quintana crashes/punctures and the help of Valverde is key to bring Nairito back or limit serious losses (so not just a few seconds).

he is obviously trolling on a very poor level tho

 

[Miburo]

How is it trolling? If you think piti isn't the real leader of the team you're in some serious denial

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

Hinault tried to win himself first, lemond was still young. And Froome definitely didn't like it, he hated it but the big difference here is that piti is the leader of the team.

Piti don't care as much about the vuelta, as the tour and he still won that stage, not helping quintana.

Quintana was already a lot better in 2013, but Movistar sent him to the Giro last year to give Valverde a final shot at the Tour. He didn't do well and now his time is over, although I expect Movistar to try and play two cards as long as possible, with the first 9 days being very favourable to Valverde.

But no way they will let Valverde continue to ride on if Quintana crashes/punctures and the help of Valverde is key to bring Nairito back or limit serious losses (so not just a few seconds).

No, they will let him, as they should. Just like they let Quintana in that crosswind stage in 2013. As they say never put all eggs in one basket

I said "if the help of Valverde is key". Quintana would have been completely useless in the crosswind stage, so no point at all calling him back. Neither will Valverde be told to wait if something happens to Nairito on the flat, but hell yes will they call Valverde back if Nairito punctures at the foot of a big climb.

 

[Punkan]

Re:

How is it trolling? If you think piti isn't the real leader of the team you're in some serious denial

If you mean leader as in "I'm the captain, it is me the guys will ride for.", you are wrong. Piti can't win the tour, Quintana can and Movistar managemant knows that. But in another sense one can see him as the leader, he has the experience and Quintana is young and shy, and therefore Piti might be the one who calls the shots out there on the course.

If Valverde chooses not to support Quintana, but rides for himself, he is an egoistic idiot. Valverde is good, but not tourwinning material and he ought to know that.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

How is it trolling? If you think piti isn't the real leader of the team you're in some serious denial

lol help! some weirdo has stolen Miburo's account


Of course I dont think so, Unzue made it clear, leader is Quintana, Valverde is a road captain and super domestique (and backup plan if NQ falls).
OTOH it doesnt mean I think he hasnt got a chance...I think Piti will be in leader jersey with some margin after first summit finish on stage 10, but will be dropped hard the stage after, Quintana has climbing legs about which Valverde doesnt even dream of

 

[Miburo]

Apperently you're not only completely irrational about contador but also quintana. Sad kinda

 

[perico]

You can say whatever you want of piti but he's a champion. And give me one champion that will race for someone else when he still has a chance, no matter how slim it is?

Greg LeMond. Chris Froome. Bernard Hinault, (very debatable). I'm sure there are dozens of other examples

Both Delgado and Indurain rode for each other when they could have led other teams.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re:

Apperently you're not only completely irrational about contador but also quintana. Sad kinda

any evidence I was ever wrong?
doesnt mean that when Im their fan Im wrong lol

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Re:

How is it trolling? If you think piti isn't the real leader of the team you're in some serious denial

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

How is it trolling? If you think piti isn't the real leader of the team you're in some serious denial

flew over the miburo's nest lol

 

[cellardoor]

Valverde has had plenty of chances to win the Tour and he's always been a bit of a flop, even when he's shown great form the rest of the season. Last year was a golden opportunity and frankly he was a major disappointment. I'm sure Movistar would prefer to win the Tour with Valverde if they could, but they're not stupid and they know it's highly unlikely to happen and they're much better supporting Quintana and going for stage wins with Valverde. They will almost certainly be in an awkward situation after a week to 10 days as Valverde will more than likely be in front and could well in the yellow jersey. There's no way though that they will make Quintana pace Valverde if he gets dropped on the first big mountain stage and Quintana is in fighting distance of the GC. I'm also pretty sure that Valverde will do what's he asked and also that Movistar will be fair and let Valverde go for stage wins and a top 10.

 

[AlexNYC]

Good job not losing time today despite not really having a lot of help from his team. If he doesn't lose more time to Froome, who is by far the strongest man right now, Nairo will have a chance to make up the difference in the third week, when he should be at peak condition.

 

[Gigs_98]

Why is nobody talking about him. Most people here expected him to loose much time today but he did quite well. Hardly anyone who helped him but still finished in the same group as the other favorites.

 

[Eclipse]

The dream is alive after today (no thanks to Movistar who seemed to offer almost 0 help. Valverde certainly only looked out for himself)

A good TTT and he could be within touching distance again.

 

[SeriousSam]

I hope Movistar somehow crush Sky in the TTT. If anyone can duel Froome in the mountains, it's Quintana, but he's already down the equivalent of two dominant MTF wins because of that stupid split in stage 2.

 

[AlexNYC]

Yep. I think everyone is assuming Froome has this in the bag; but I think Nairo has the potential to be better in the third week. He said some time ago that he believes the race will be decided in Alpe d'huez, so it would make sense that he targeted the third week to reach his peak condition. Froome said the same thing of course, but from what he has shown so far, I would say he is nearly at his peak right now.

 

[AICA ribonucleotide]

Quintana was so lucky today. If there had been any type of crash on the cobbles today he would have lost minutes from staying at the back.