Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

What's happened then? Because he has been excellent all year up to and including RDS. I have a suspicion he has been ill.

Should be the only explanation apart from simply not having it. I hope its the former, but I honestly suspect the latter. I think the hard racing in the middle, stages 10-13, somewhat zapped him, but they really didn't to that extend back in 2015. Maybe his preparation has failed, but again, I have a hard time seeing that. Seemed just like in 2015.

 

[RattaKuningas]

Well apparently Quintana doesn't know himself either what's wrong. It's a mystery. It actually reminds me Giro with Nibali who said that he has no idea what's wrong until it he found his form at the last possible moment and turned things around. I don't think that Quintana is going to win Tour de France anymore but I hope that he can show us something in the remaining stages.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

But no excuses, he had the perfect prep. No excuses were made for contador '13 or nibali last year.

He is much better than Contador was, he will drop Froome in one of those 2 days.

He need other kind of stages, not too much flat and above 2000 meters.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

But no excuses, he had the perfect prep. No excuses were made for contador '13 or nibali last year.

He is much better than Contador was, he will drop Froome in one of those 2 days.

He need other kind of stages, not too much flat and above 2000 meters.

Contador was in a better position in 2013 at this point, he was second and he almost won the hilly ITT. What did quintana do that was better at this point?

Know your facts bro

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

What's happened then? Because he has been excellent all year up to and including RDS. I have a suspicion he has been ill.

Should be the only explanation apart from simply not having it. I hope its the former, but I honestly suspect the latter. I think the hard racing in the middle, stages 10-13, somewhat zapped him, but they really didn't to that extend back in 2015. Maybe his preparation has failed, but again, I have a hard time seeing that. Seemed just like in 2015.

It was a Tour not quite bad for climbers, but the wind in all the central Tour has been too much for him, especially in 2 important stages as the ITt and Ventoux.

Today it was a bad day as Bardet was above him and they are similar kind of riders, and Quintana is better.

Everybody has a bad day in 3 weeks.

 

[lenric]

True, but Quintana can't afford having a bad day, if he wants to win the Tour. Especially because he's shitty in ITTs, descents and everything else. And he can't compensate that in the mountains.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Edit: deleted

 

[Enrico Gimondi]

Re:

True, but Quintana can't afford having a bad day, if he wants to win the Tour. Especially because he's shitty in ITTs, descents and everything else. And he can't compensate that in the mountains.

right. he's not THAT good in the mountains that he can make up for his TT and descending.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

True, but Quintana can't afford having a bad day, if he wants to win the Tour. Especially because he's shitty in ITTs, descents and everything else. And he can't compensate that in the mountains.

After 3 or 4 very hard stages for pure climbers with an extreme wind he has little options to win the Tour, and at the start he had less than Froome. if he has a bad day, he has, no possible to do anything...

It is not the most funny for cycling fans, but they do well to chose the best momet to attack, it is the best affective way to make damage. The problem it that now he is far in GC, but I still think he will give very good moments. People will say: Quintana shoudl have act this way all the Tour, but he just couldnt so far.

Anyway I see Froome so good that maybe Quintana cant drop him... becouse he dont have a stage as Alp d Huez last year...Joux Plagne and Bissane are good climbs, but for Quintana is better an stage with a long climb as last year alp D Huez with Croix de fer... longer and higher than this year climbs...

 

[May0maniac]

When has Quintana ever had a bad day on a proper (at least by Tour standarts) mountain stage in the 3rd week.
Valverde wouldn't have attacked and Anacona wouldn't have pulled earlier if Quintana was sick/not feeling well from the start, maybe it was just the heat?
I think it's not the amount of TT km that hurts Nairo in a , by modern standarts, usualy Tour, it's the lack of long, hard mountain stages at high altitude and having a team that isn't great in the crosswinds, they don't bring enough strongman to the Tour and most of their strongest riders on the flat are TT specialists that lack classic experience and aren't exactly veterans when it comes to that kind of racing.

 

[SafeBet]

What's hurting quintana is that he's not the best climber in the race as he should be to win a GT. He's probably not even in the top5 climbers of this Tour at the moment.

 

[Moviestar]

On a positive note, he said he had a bad day and loses ''only'' 27 seconds. With a good day/good days he can put up a show in the Alps to grab the second place. But let's see what he will do in tomorrow's TT first.

 

[filipepc]

I was expecting more from him, even if he can´t beat a guy like Froome.

Since i´ve seen him in 2013 i feel the same as today: Quintana is not explosive for a climber, and sometimes that is very important. He lacks accelerations, and besides that this year he looks weak compared to last year.

But is not easy to fight against Sky, the show is deprimment, they don´t have fault they do what they have to, but the other teams yes. Movistar is a shadow of the team i thoght they could be at the tour.

 

[Gigs_98]

He really is like 2013 contador. Extremely hyped before the tour and then gets dropped by 2nd tier climbers. The only difference is that the whole 2013 season for contador was bad while this year nairo won 2 WT stage races, was 3rd in another one and won another ET stage race. I really thought he would beat froome this year but something went completely wrong.

The Tour in isolation looks similar, though Contador was even worse. The difference however is that Quintana has his best early season ever, whereas Contador had his worst.

I don't agree that Quintana can't beat Froome. Had he been as good as last year, I don't think he'd have dropped anywhere, not to mention ride a stronger TT.

If Quintana is to come up with excuses or an explanation for his poor form, I don't think it will come out until after the Tour.

I basically agree with your whole post but why did you quote me?

 

[Escarabajo]

This is more than a second bad day. So he really might have a problem.

Funny thing is that this half fit Quintana can climb to second place. LOL. So competition is not really good.

 

[Sartorius]

Re:

This is more than a second bad day. So he really might have a problem.

Funny thing is that this half fit Quintana can climb to second place. LOL. So competition is not really good.

...or he is as good as last year, but competition is better

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

When has Quintana ever had a bad day on a proper (at least by Tour standarts) mountain stage in the 3rd week.
Valverde wouldn't have attacked and Anacona wouldn't have pulled earlier if Quintana was sick/not feeling well from the start, maybe it was just the heat?
I think it's not the amount of TT km that hurts Nairo in a , by modern standarts, usualy Tour, it's the lack of long, hard mountain stages at high altitude and having a team that isn't great in the crosswinds, they don't bring enough strongman to the Tour and most of their strongest riders on the flat are TT specialists that lack classic experience and aren't exactly veterans when it comes to that kind of racing.

You dont distinguish between the difference on having a bad day and weakness. You can be very strong and have a bad day.

Tomoroow is a perfect day for Froome, he has a very good recovery and he is very strong but he copuld have a bad day as Nibali had in climbing ITT at Il Giro.

Nairo is strong and he will recover time with Froome some day. He has difficult to win and SKy is very strong, but he is an exceptional climber and he is not at 10 minute to rule him out. This Tour maybe has just 2 good days for him to attack, but the race is like that and he cant do anything.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I have yet to see something close to destroying Porte, Poels and Froome on L' Alpe, I doubt I will see it. Should really just focus on getting a stage win and the podium, especially a stage win - he only has one so far, could've gotten 2 last year if not for conservative racing strategies from Movistar. I would like to see him win in Morzine, his breakthrough win in 2012.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

All his prep has been laid waste. I am hoping he is graceful enough to accept defeat and move on. Froome is a far more all around rider than him. Froome can descend, follow Sagan's wheel and hey btw he can climb as well. Unfortunately Nairo is far too dependent only on climbing and nothing else. That doesnt work in this day and age.

I dont know what different he can do next year - if in case he still chooses to ride the Tour. I dont see any scenario in which he can defeat Froome. The Skyborgs are too good!

The only point that I have in favor of Quintana is that Movistar has a super weak team in this Tour. Not one rider has been there at the end baring Valverde. Forget setting tempo they cant even stay in the peleton.

Very few times in history has worked. His size is a problem on windy days and flat ITT. He has to completely be the best climber in order to win. Having said that he is a decent TT for his size.

What do you mean ride the Tour? who is going to beat Froome?
LOL.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

Isn't Bernal Venezuelan?

Anyway, as somebody who still thinks Contador isn't completely past it at 33, I don't think Quintana is really on his way down. There's clearly something wrong. It's really unfortunate though, especially with all the hype Eurosport created, and with Quintana rapidly approaching 3 years without a GT win even though he was touted as the next dominant climber.

Bernal is Colombian.

The guys who are saying that he is on the way down are just trolling. I just don't bother to answer.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Also, still to finish inside the top-10. If that isn't the case tomorrow, I give up on TdF 2016 (has pretty much done anyways, both for Nairo and the race itself).

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Also, still to finish inside the top-10. If that isn't the case tomorrow, I give up on TdF 2016 (has pretty much done anyways, both for Nairo and the race itself).

Hang in there Valv.Piti . I feel the same way...but the fight for a podium spot is wide open, that will be awesome to watch. He's off. A Giro-tired Valverde is better than him right now. Props to Valverde btw for trying to isolate Froome, and it cost him time today. I had big reservations last year wrt his loyalty to Nairo, but this year, he's done everything he could to shake things up, be a poison for Sky. It's not Nairo's year.

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

True, but Quintana can't afford having a bad day, if he wants to win the Tour. Especially because he's shitty in ITTs, descents and everything else. And he can't compensate that in the mountains.

After 3 or 4 very hard stages for pure climbers with an extreme wind he has little options to win the Tour, and at the start he had less than Froome. if he has a bad day, he has, no possible to do anything...

It is not the most funny for cycling fans, but they do well to chose the best momet to attack, it is the best affective way to make damage. The problem it that now he is far in GC, but I still think he will give very good moments. People will say: Quintana shoudl have act this way all the Tour, but he just couldnt so far.

Anyway I see Froome so good that maybe Quintana cant drop him... becouse he dont have a stage as Alp d Huez last year...Joux Plagne and Bissane are good climbs, but for Quintana is better an stage with a long climb as last year alp D Huez with Croix de fer... longer and higher than this year climbs...

Then Quintana is a very limited all rounder, possibly even more than Sastre.

 

[Tonton]

Again, we're talking about a 90% Quintana. The 100% version has proven that there's nooooo way Bardet, for example, can drop him. Before drawing conclusions, let's recognize that basic fact. Maybe not the most well-rounded, but no bum either. And in top shape, the best climber (with Froome) in the World. This is not the case right now. He's off.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

What's happened then? Because he has been excellent all year up to and including RDS. I have a suspicion he has been ill.

Should be the only explanation apart from simply not having it. I hope its the former, but I honestly suspect the latter. I think the hard racing in the middle, stages 10-13, somewhat zapped him, but they really didn't to that extend back in 2015. Maybe his preparation has failed, but again, I have a hard time seeing that. Seemed just like in 2015.

It was a Tour not quite bad for climbers, but the wind in all the central Tour has been too much for him, especially in 2 important stages as the ITt and Ventoux.

Today it was a bad day as Bardet was above him and they are similar kind of riders, and Quintana is better.

Everybody has a bad day in 3 weeks.

The trouble is he has not had any good days while Froome has kept chipping away. Quintana will be lucky to finish in the top five. He is getting worse not better. If Porte does a good TT he could still finish on the podium which was hard to believe two weeks ago.