Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Red Rick]

Re:

After doing Tour and Vuelta back-to-back last two years Unzue and Nairo himself now know he has the physical abilities to at least seriously challenge the GT double, Completing the Giro-Tour double against Froome who is peaking for the latter may not be possible before Froome shows a clear decline (which, given his age, might not be so far away), but the ambition shown with the double attempt is what I like the most. Clearly, doing both doubles, is being seen as a realistic target worth pursuing within Movistar team.

This. The Giro, being the 100th, may be seen as a bigger fish than usual, and they may feel that a) putting all eggs on the Tour is too risky and b) Quintana's chances are similar whether he goes to the Giro or not. I disagree with both, as I think Quintana is the top favourite for any Vuelta after Froome goes to the Tour (unless Nibali is finds his form of old AND goes Giro-Vuelta), and I just don't see Quintana having that edge he needs to make the difference in what little mountains there are in the Tour after doing the Giro.

That said, the Tour has only a few critical mountain stages, and if Froome has a ill-timed bad day, or gets caught out by some Contador-related madness, Quintana may be the biggest benefactor no matter what he did in May

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re: Re:

Nairo is going to the Giro.
He said that the main goal is the Tour but, confirmed the double-attempt.
http://www.eltiempo.com/deportes/ciclismo/el-ciclista-nario-quintana-el-mejor-deportista-de-2016/16779353

That's right. it is settled.
But he was also clear in saying that the main objective is the Tour. Obviously, like other members have said it, he want's to replicate what happened last year. Some comments about it:

- Is he able to soft pedal? does he have the personality to do it?
- Giro is harder than Vuelta, so not sure if it is the same as last year. There is even more time between Vuelta and Tour than the Giro and Tour.
- There would be shorter altitude training this time. How would he perform?

Having said that I am excited that he is doing the Giro, even if he does not try to win it, but at least he could be a great animator.

He soft pedalled the whole Tour 2016

 

[staubsauger]

He soft pedaled most of the 2014 Giro as well. Pozzovivo certainly wasn't amused!

 

[Valv.Piti]

If we have learned something over the years, Quintana definitely has the personality to soft-pedal and play it conservatively. He doesn't care about entertaining, only about achieving his goals as effectively as possible. He would want to give himself the best chances to win the Tour if he found himself in a situation leading the Giro and just follow.

 

[Tonton]

Merry Christmas to all of you!

I will echo some of the comments: it's non-sense, imo. What's the point of going to the Giro and not go ftw? Nairo needs to be fresh, at his best, if he wants to beat Froome. Because Dawg will be fresh, peaking, and until proven otherwise, he's the best GT guy right now. Non-sense.

Unless Quitana goes to the Giro for two weeks, gets a couple of stage wins, and fakes an injury. Not a scenario that I would want to see. True champions don't do that. I don't think he'll do that. He'll be the best rider out there, why not go for it? Plus, if he loses both, what a waste of a season...

 

[Valv.Piti]

Read between the lines, Tonton. He will try to win, but while spending as little energy as possible. The non-sense is talking about retiring after 2 weeks etc.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Read between the lines, Tonton. He will try to win, but while spending as little energy as possible. The non-sense is talking about retiring after 2 weeks etc.

As little energy as possible is...impossible. Even past his prime, Nibali still is a formidable opponent. It's the 100th, he and Aru will be all-in. Quintana will have to work hard, very hard for a win. And that means: baring an incident, Froome gets number four.

 

[fauniera]

Re: Re:

As little energy as possible is...impossible. [...] Quintana will have to work hard, very hard for a win. And that means: baring an incident, Froome gets number four.

I agree with that. Not a good decision by Nairo.

 

[staubsauger]

Nibali has become pretty mediocre nowadays. Aru ain't no challenger at all. He's gonna crack completely anyway during this 3 weeks. That's the job of Landa & Kruijswijk. If they ain't got the shape of 2015 respectively 2016 it ain't gonna cost Quintana too much power to win the Giro ...

 

[Matteo.]

It is really admirable the choice of Quintana (and surprising).
We have to mention that he have NEVER won the Tour (3 consecutive years on the podium) and yet he chose to race the Giro knowing that July will have to fight with a Froome definitely cooler
Respect

 

[Hakkie2]

Re:

Nibali has become pretty mediocre nowadays. Aru ain't no challenger at all. He's gonna crack completely anyway during this 3 weeks. That's the job of Landa & Kruijswijk. If they ain't got the shape of 2015 respectively 2016 it ain't gonna cost Quintana too much power to win the Giro ...

Landa's job is not to crack Aru.
Landa's job is to crack Quintana.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

Nibali has become pretty mediocre nowadays. Aru ain't no challenger at all. He's gonna crack completely anyway during this 3 weeks. That's the job of Landa & Kruijswijk. If they ain't got the shape of 2015 respectively 2016 it ain't gonna cost Quintana too much power to win the Giro ...

I don't know about the Italians, I think your underrating them a bit before a centenary Giro. I don't think Nibali overall will be worse than Giro 2016 and Aru just needs go get back to his ways of 2014-2015, this year wasn't his real level I think.
You are right though - Landa in 2015 and Kruijswijk in 2016 all had better performances than the Italians recently in terms of top level.

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Giro will be a LOT of fun!! even more than usual...

 

[filipepc]

I don´t doubt about Quintana capacity, but i can´t see him winning the Tour this way.
Froome is too strong and to be beaten Quintana must be 101%. Giro is the GT with worst weather... I don´t know, i think it´s not a good decision, because we will spent energy, teammates... But who knows... Maybe he surprise everyone... I don´t think so, but...

 

[spiritualride]

I like this with some weird logic behind it. I don't think Quintana has a chance against Froome at the 2017 TDF if Froome has top form and no major bad luck. Quintana with a Giro in his legs may not be as strong as otherwise, but still strong enough to possibly podium in the TDF. In the small but significant chance that Froome has bad luck, Quintana with a Giro in his legs might still be strong enough to win the TDF.

Why not choose the Vuelta as the secondary GT goal instead of the Giro though?

As a cycling fan, I'm very happy with this news. The Giro GC battle might be awesome. I really hope Quintana goes all out for the Giro GC. I don't think it will be easy. Too many quality Giro GC contenders means that the chances of one of them going full mutant is high.

 

[jsem94]

Respect. Will make for a great Giro.

 

[Tonton]

Gutsy, yep, TdF podium, meh. Quintana was my hope for a happy July. Now I'm going to have to put up with Kirby, Phil, Paul, Sky...beuark...my July is ruined before 2017 even begins .

I can't wait to see Tibopino kick their butts at the Giro . Solo la vittoria e bella .

 

[Robert5091]

Well, unexpected but if Movistar think Sky will be 100% focused on the Tour (as usual) then it's logical to think of trying to win the Giro. Baring the Sky bots short-circuiting, Movistar would seem to be number 2 at the Tour. Otherwise hope that someone else (Bardet?) could be used to ambush Sky.

 

[Isaak-Gabriel]

I don´t doubt about Quintana capacity, but i can´t see him winning the Tour this way.
Froome is too strong and to be beaten Quintana must be 101%. Giro is the GT with worst weather... I don´t know, i think it´s not a good decision, because we will spent energy, teammates... But who knows... Maybe he surprise everyone... I don´t think so, but...

Piancavallo, Galibier... some coincidences who can "help" Nairo next year...

 

[Hugo Koblet]

As a cycling spectator, I don't really like this. Now both the Giro and the Tour will likely be less fun.

 

[dacooley]

that definetely sounds interesting. nothing is not guaranteed for the next season. quintana is not guaranteed to be head and shoulders over the rest in the giro mountains, the same like nibs is not necessarily not reproduce his the 2016 giro winning shape, so its gonna be fun.

 

[torcia_86]

respect for nairo, great decision. i think he also want to celebrate the history of Giro 100th with his partecipation.

 

[Red Rick]

I dunno but 'I'm gonna spend as little energy as possible' doesn't seem really celebratory to me

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

I dunno but 'I'm gonna spend as little energy as possible' doesn't seem really celebratory to me

I'd say its still more celebratory than not showing up at all.
Quintana's season 2017 reminds me of Contador in 2015. He could end up having won the last 2 GT's and then who knows what will happen in July... Chances are he at least will do better than Alberto, but after 3 podiums, that won't really matter unless he wins. Unless he wins a couple of stages and such.

 

[torcia_86]

Re:

I dunno but 'I'm gonna spend as little energy as possible' doesn't seem really celebratory to me

when nairo said these words? in his interviews I read something else.....it shows more respect for the history and tradition of cycling compared to some other gc contender