Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

His form in Tirreno will probably be somewhere between what he showed up with in '14 and '15. I don't think the Fermo stage suits him, but I also doubt that Pinot and Nibali (the only ones I see challenging him) will any take time there.

Maybe, If thats the case, that should be enough to win the race, but I still think Pinot will be hard to beat here.

 

[Netserk]

Yep, certainly if FDJ does another great TTT (they took 20'' on Movistar last year) and Pinot takes time in the ITT as well.

 

[manolo57]

A lot of things will depend on the first TTT.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Very attentive riding by Nairo, always in the front and in the thick of things. He looked strong to me - rest day tomorrow and the he hopefully will smash the Terminillo, needs to put 1 minute into Dennis and 20-30 seconds into Pinot.

 

[spiritualride]

Will he wait until 5km to go to attack on Terminillo like last time? A minute into Dennis ... should probably attack in the early part of the climb.

 

[DNP-Old]

Re:

Will he wait until 5km to go to attack on Terminillo like last time? A minute into Dennis ... should probably attack in the early part of the climb.

He gained 55 seconds (plus boni's) against the likes of Purito Rodriguez, Contador and Pinot attacking at 4.8 kilometers, let alone Dennis. He doesn't need to go all out from bottom to top.

 

[Red Rick]

Quintana could probably drink himself into the gutter, wake up in a pool his own vomit, be lifted on his bike by other people and he'll still be able to put Rohan Dennis on a minute in the last 5km of the Terminillo. Not that he'll try though.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Will he wait until 5km to go to attack on Terminillo like last time? A minute into Dennis ... should probably attack in the early part of the climb.

He gained 55 seconds (plus boni's) against the likes of Purito Rodriguez, Contador and Pinot attacking at 4.8 kilometers, let alone Dennis. He doesn't need to go all out from bottom to top.

Which probably is what he will do again, go around the 4-6 km mark and try to solo it. Going before would be pretty tough against this field, this isn't Valenciana.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Quintana could probably drink himself into the gutter, wake up in a pool his own vomit, be lifted on his bike by other people and he'll still be able to put Rohan Dennis on a minute in the last 5km of the Terminillo. Not that he'll try though.

I don't remember Quintana ever doing something that interesting. He seems to be better with excuses.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Just your normal Quintana-perfomance at this point, he is one level - at least - above the riders he was facing today and will face in Il Giro. I can only realistically see an absolute peak Kruijswijk give hime some problems.

 

[portugal11]

Re:

Just your normal Quintana-perfomance at this point, he is one level - at least - above the riders he was facing today and will face in Il Giro. I can only realistically see an absolute peak Kruijswijk give hime some problems.

What? 2016 Kruisjvick wasn't even able to beat contador/landa/aru 2015

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Just your normal Quintana-perfomance at this point, he is one level - at least - above the riders he was facing today and will face in Il Giro. I can only realistically see an absolute peak Kruijswijk give hime some problems.

What? 2016 Kruisjvick wasn't even able to beat contador/landa/aru 2015

Kruijswijk 2016 would take a pleasent dumb on riders like Aru. No contest. Contador isn't there and I think its unlikely Landa will be that good again.

Just to clarify: I still think he will win relatively comfortably, but thats the rider who can push him at times, I think.

 

[hfer07]

Quintanita being Quintanita

 

[portugal11]

Re: Re:

Just your normal Quintana-perfomance at this point, he is one level - at least - above the riders he was facing today and will face in Il Giro. I can only realistically see an absolute peak Kruijswijk give hime some problems.

What? 2016 Kruisjvick wasn't even able to beat contador/landa/aru 2015

Kruijswijk 2016 would take a pleasent dumb on riders like Aru. No contest. Contador isn't there and I think its unlikely Landa will be that good again.

Just to clarify: I still think he will win relatively comfortably, but thats the rider who can push him at times, I think.

He will win il giro easily but I still think dumoulin will be his main threat

 

[Escarabajo]

I his port-stage interview today:

When it was suggested that Quintana somehow struggles at the Tour de France, his reply was simple, honest but sincere.




"The problem could be that there's a rival who is stronger than me," he said with elegant subtlety.

"I've perhaps been unlucky or ill in recent years. We've just got to keep trying, keep working and hope things go our way this year."

:surprised:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quintana-overcomes-bronchitis-to-dominate-at-tirreno-adriatico/

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yes, its always refreshing that riders call it as it is and spare us from excuses etc. Unless Froome crashes or he really has declined, it will be really hard to win on this route after the Giro. I'd rate Porte, Contador and Quintana's chances equally at this point.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Quintana could probably drink himself into the gutter, wake up in a pool his own vomit, be lifted on his bike by other people and he'll still be able to put Rohan Dennis on a minute in the last 5km of the Terminillo. Not that he'll try though.

I don't remember Quintana ever doing something that interesting. He seems to be better with excuses.

I have it on good authority from Andy Schleck that DS's aren't too keen on trying such sort of things

 

[Valv.Piti]

Also, being a rival, I don't know what I'd think if Quintana just had dominated me and he afterwards told the media he had bronchitis. I beat you, but Im actually not feeling that well. Auch..

That may explain his relatively conservative approach.

 

[Red Rick]

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

Thomas, Aru, Landa, Yates etc.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

Lol

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

Thomas, Aru, Landa, Yates etc.

+ Pinot, Dumoulin, and Mollema. Basically only Kruijswijk missing. And maybe the great Ilnur. But thats semantics, everything to diminish Quintana's ride, right Red Rick?

A whole other thing is I think Nibali is a rider of the past. At least in terms of being able to win GTs.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

Thomas, Aru, Landa, Yates etc.

None of these could potentially rival Quintana if he's not ill or anything.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

Thomas, Aru, Landa, Yates etc.

None of these could potentially rival Quintana if he's not ill or anything.

That doesn't mean they necessarily aren't rivals. If thats the definition, he has none rivals for the upcoming Giro.

 

[Rollthedice]

Re: Re:

None of his real rivals are there, except for Nibali, who also got dropped by 10 other guys.

Thomas, Aru, Landa, Yates etc.

+ Pinot, Dumoulin, and Mollema. Basically only Kruijswijk missing. And maybe the great Ilnur. But thats semantics, everything to diminish Quintana's ride, right Red Rick?

A whole other thing is I think Nibali is a rider of the past. At least in terms of being able to win GTs.

You mean of the past year? After all he is the reigning champion. Last time he was riding for the win he was able to win it. I thought that by now people would understand that being dropped by 20 riders in March is usual for Nibali in order to be able to win a GT. Unless he is declining, he will give Quintana hell on his home turf.