Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Tonton]

Re:

I think he will do giro-vuelta next year. Aso will understand that big tom is the only guy who can beat froome/sky. So they will put 60 km of time trials

I would not be surprised...

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

I think he will do giro-vuelta next year. Aso will understand that big tom is the only guy who can beat froome/sky. So they will put 60 km of time trials

Why?

Sure Movistar has a big budget and is paying Quintana a lot of money to do the Giro-Vuelta!

Whether they believe they can win the Tour is Movistar and Nairo's problem.

 

[greenedge]

Re: Re:

this stage puts to rest the following statement 'Nairo goes better in the 2nd GT'

Hopefully.

Somehow I believe that his best training for the Tour is focusing on the classic races. That would give him depth, skill and quality race days without sacrificing too many days. Like he did in 2015.

Maybe do some 1 week races but too much.

I'd prefer next year if he rode a more traditional TDF preparation- Romandie and Dauphinie as his last two races and before that some smaller races to beat his rivals at. Pais Vasco and T-A would also be nice, but he might have to choose between them.

 

[staubsauger]

I think it's Tour-Vuelta next year. That's what always works out one way or the other for Movistar in recent years. Landa might lead them at the Giro in that case.

 

[Bolder]

Re:

this stage puts to rest the following statement 'Nairo goes better in the 2nd GT'

On the face of it, yes. He had a really choppy stage and clearly wasn't comfortable on the bike. Was it a one-day issue, or did he burn off his top end in Italy? Has he reached his natural limit? To my eye, he's plateaued, while others like TD/Yates/Bardet/Aru have continued to improve -- and Froome has maintained his own level, just a bit higher than everyone else.

On the other hand, not having Valverde as mountain consigliere is a big blow. (Say what you want about who the real leader would have been, I think it was Quintana's role to lose.)

I really like Nairo, maybe it's his stoicism and what appears to be a really strong spirit. So, still a fan and hope he's got a few more GT wins in him.

 

[Eclipse]

Looks like the gamble has failed to pay off.

I think it was a good time to try something new and obviously they'd have been hoping to at least win the Giro but they didn't quite get things right to get to his absolute peak level at either race. Looks like he's really paying for it now. I'll just enjoy the rest of the race and hope that if he finds some good feeling in his legs one day he might take a punt at a long ranger to try snatch back a podium

 

[Alexandre B.]

To me, he will be the most interesting contender to watch this second week.

Now that he's distanced by quite a margin for his standard, I hope he'll take the bull by the horns and animate the Pyrenees, like he used to do back in 2013.

 

[hrotha]

I don't even think he's out of contention for the win yet. For all his flaws, if there's one rider who could bounce back after the Giro it's him. But obviously he'd have to race.

 

[Rollthedice]

Where? There are two MTFs left and he has no proper team for long range attacks. Furthermore I don't think he can miraculously find his 2015 climbing form.

 

[hrotha]

Obviously he can't wait for the last climb, and Betancur and Castroviejo seem to be good enough for his needs. Plus he can forge alliances.

 

[Netserk]

He'd be at the mercy of Sky, as they would easily be able to pull any (weak riders in a) break back before the top of Galibier, where teammates really could make a difference. If he's at his best, he should be able to gap Froome with a minute+ on Galibier, I think.

 

[yaco]

MS got it all wrong. Valverde should have ridden the Giro and Vuelta with Quintana riding the TDF and Vuelta.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Where? There are two MTFs left and he has no proper team for long range attacks. Furthermore I don't think he can miraculously find his 2015 climbing form.

So long as Alberto Contador is in this bike race, then Nairo Quintana can still win the TDF

He really isn't that far behind, and there are still stages 12, 17 and 18. Plus Froome has lost Thomas, which at least increases the chances marginally that Sky can be ambushed at some stage. Of course on this occasion there is a difference: that Nairo needs to take significant time off a number of riders. But it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

 

[Escarabajo]

Nairo in the Press Conference today:

- Happy to be healthy and no broken bones. He was close to crashing hard in the same Majka fall. They were going very fast when Majka crashed in front of him.
- No regrets about the Giro-Tour double. Basically he wanted to try something different. He also mentioned about putting all eggs in one basket and going blank. He doesn't like that.
- His numbers are not what they are supposed to be. But there is nothing he can do about it. However Froome does not looks as strong and that's the reason why he is still close. If he recuperates he will be back in it.

http://www.revistamundociclistico.com/ruta/23534-no-me-arrepiento-de-haber-hecho-giro-y-tour-nairo-quintana-.html

 

[Valv.Piti]

He is still in the race if he miraculously can improve significantly and chances of that happening are pretty small, lets say 3-4%. Its not all bad. He looked fine, I guess, better than Planche which was to be expected. Maybe he will come, maybe he won't, but I just hope we will see him in an aggressive role. Which is hard when your legs aren't responding well and Sky is rolling their heavy artillery out, but he was still the first to respond to Aru. I guess he quickly realised he couldn't continue like that.

 

[carton]

Re:

However Froome does not looks as strong and that's the reason why he is still close. If he recuperates he will be back in it. http://www.revistamundociclistico.com/ruta/23534-no-me-arrepiento-de-haber-hecho-giro-y-tour-nairo-quintana-.html

Not disagreeing with the interpretation, but just to delve a little into it I have that as:
"Maybe Froome is on a slightly lower level than other years, and the strengths are more even. And that's why the time I'm at in the GC isn't yet too much. That makes it so that if I have a good day, anything can happen."

 

[Escarabajo]

The chances of improving are higher than that. The chances of winning are very small like you put it.

Improving is not as big of deal as killing the rest of your opponents and winning.

 

[perico]

Re:

this stage puts to rest the following statement 'Nairo goes better in the 2nd GT'

Maybe when everyone else also has a GT in their legs like last year. It's not the same when Froome and company have fresh legs.

 

[PPAR-delta]

I think the leadership for this years tour was Valverde's. He was having a monster year and it explains why he threw caution to the wind during the prologue. Quintana's presence in this years tour was largely meant as a diversion to Moviestar's true intent. Quintana is now an 85 to 1 pick to win and has only a 12.5% chance (according to the bettors) of even making the podium. If Nairo targeted this years Tour, it was a massive fail. I just don't think that is actually the case.

 

[Moviefan1203]

Re:

I think he will do giro-vuelta next year. Aso will understand that big tom is the only guy who can beat froome/sky. So they will put 60 km of time trials

I hope it's more than 60km of time trials next year. With all the climbing friendly Tours as of late, it's time for a TT heavy one.

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

Re:

To me, he will be the most interesting contender to watch this second week.

Now that he's distanced by quite a margin for his standard, I hope he'll take the bull by the horns and animate the Pyrenees, like he used to do back in 2013.

LOL!!! Even when he is fresh, Quintana is a big time wheel sucker. He doesn't have the spine to do a decent attack.

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

Re: Re:

Where? There are two MTFs left and he has no proper team for long range attacks. Furthermore I don't think he can miraculously find his 2015 climbing form.

So long as Alberto Contador is in this bike race, then Nairo Quintana can still win the TDF

He really isn't that far behind, and there are still stages 12, 17 and 18. Plus Froome has lost Thomas, which at least increases the chances marginally that Sky can be ambushed at some stage. Of course on this occasion there is a difference: that Nairo needs to take significant time off a number of riders. But it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

+1000 to the bold sentence. You beat me to it.

Alberto can be dumb enough to turn into Quintana's domestique, like he did in the Vuelta a España.

If Contador does do something, he should make sure to shake off Quintana first. He should sprint with all his powers.

 

[Iker_Baqueiro]

Re:

I think he will do giro-vuelta next year. Aso will understand that big tom is the only guy who can beat froome/sky. So they will put 60 km of time trials

I hope that they do put 100 km of ITT, like in the Indurain years. The climbers have had many tailor made Tours already.

 

[movingtarget]

I guess he won't be going for the double next year. Still be interesting to see what happens in the rest of the race. I can see quite of the few of the riders ahead of him fading in the third week. Although I would rather see Uran grab a podium as it has been a while for him and he is looking good at the moment.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

I think he will do giro-vuelta next year. Aso will understand that big tom is the only guy who can beat froome/sky. So they will put 60 km of time trials

I hope it's more than 60km of time trials next year. With all the climbing friendly Tours as of late, it's time for a TT heavy one.

So you consider a climber friendly Tour this year?