Teams & Riders Nairo Quintana discussion thread

[Ricco']

Surely Astana or Trek sign Quintana.

Trek doesn't want anyone connected to shady business, afaik. I know there are some exceptions in the past (Mattias Skjelmose, Contador post-ban, etc.) but afaik it has been reported that when the situation involving Toon Aerts gets solved, he isn't staying in his past team because Trek doesn't want the exposure of the positive case situation in a rider of their team and is now a brand policy.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Don‘t know what to believe. Quintana says he didn‘t take Tramadol. Officials say they found Tramadol in his body fluid (urine or blood). So what to believe?

Maybe he took Tramadol, but does not know it?… That‘s also possible.

The conviction certainly is based on the existing law (UCI/WADA), but seems unlogical: Tramadol is not forbidden - but if you used it in TdF, you get stripped of your TdF results. At least you don‘t get banned.

I don‘t know what was going on with Nairo‘s body, Tramadol and his test sample. Main thing is that he now can leave that behind him, search for a team, and work towards TdF 2023…

 

[Red Rick]

Surely Quintana is easily good enough for a WT team. Feel like teams like Astana or UAE would have a nobrainer here, though UAE is already overloaded on pure climbing domestiques.

 

[fmk_RoI]

But it's not just Q, it's the entourage as well, isn't it? And it's a bit late for WT teams to be adding two or three riders.

If he's lucky, he'll find an Arkea-like team looking to do well in the next three-year cycle. There'll be a plentiful supply of them.

 

[fmk_RoI]

The conviction certainly is based on the existing law (UCI/WADA), but seems unlogical: Tramadol is not forbidden - but if you used it in TdF, you get stripped of your TdF results. At least you don‘t get banned.

The problem here is Q's defence, which is less about not having taken Tramadol and more about not doing something else. Tramadol is a medical issue with the UCI.

The treatment of it is perfectly logical: it is a health issue.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

But it's not just Q, it's the entourage as well, isn't it? And it's a bit late for WT teams to be adding two or three riders.

If he's lucky, he'll find an Arkea-like team looking to do well in the next three-year cycle. There'll be a plentiful supply of them.

Astana have only 23 riders confirmed for next season according to PCS. Should have space for Q + 1-3 of his entourage.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Astana have only 23 riders confirmed for next season according to PCS.

And they can probably only afford 22 of them.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Astana have only 23 riders confirmed for next season according to PCS. Should have space for Q + 1-3 of his entourage.

And apparently Valerio Conti is also leaving (la Gazzetta reported that he's going to Team Corratec, who are going PCT).

 

[Escarabajo]

Astana and Trek comes to mind TBH. Someone said that maybe Trek do not want someone with shady history. Trek might need to change the sport. LOL.

 

[gmedina]

i think if Nairo had deeper pockets he would have been able to fight it ... kinda like froome or henao when on sky ...

 

[Blanco]

He can forget about being a leader in a WT team, and he can also forget about bringing his crew with him. It is only possible if he finds a non WT team, although even then his crew is questionable.

 

[mrgmyers]

He can forget about being a leader in a WT team, and he can also forget about bringing his crew with him. It is only possible if he finds a non WT team, although even then his crew is questionable.

Why is it I have a feeling he will just be raging moaning and complaining? He did the gear, no one forced him and he got popped, ergo the end of his career on a bike in the elite series.

 

[RedheadDane]

Iker_bakeiro said:
You fuc*king escarabajo piece of shit.

10 years ago you and all other colombians were bitching that nairo was god, he could walk on water and he was gonna win 10 Tours.

Fast forward to now, nairo did not and will not win any tour, he is at the end of his run and he is a pariah among professional teams. How did your loud mouth predictions work out motherfucker?

Fuck you escarabajo. Eat shit and die*.

I don't dislike nairo. I despise all his fucki*ng annoying colombian fans like you.


Wow! what a complete and utter ***! I admit that I am not a fan of Nairo but would not go to those extremes I hope he has been booted off the forum?

Pretty sure he was, a long time ago.

 

[gmedina]

Why is it I have a feeling he will just be raging moaning and complaining? He did the gear, no one forced him and he got popped, ergo the end of his career on a bike in the elite series.

as i said before i find kinda frustrating the likes of Froome can get away with much worse (tramadol) ... i enjoy seeeing Nairo ride, the races after the covid ban he was on another level but his knees injuries didnt allow him to capitalize on anything major that year

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Conti team Medellin EPM offered Nairo to sign him, via Twitter.

I would say: no way.

I‘m 100% certain that Nairo will sign a World Tour contract for 2023 and the years after. He was sixth in the TdF 2022, so one could say he‘s the sixth-best road cyclist in the world, in the moment. Or at least the sixth-best when we talk about Grand Tour racing or stage racing.

Everything else than a WT contract, or a contract at a top PCT, would be a disappointment, IMHO…

 

[Escarabajo]

I agree with Mayomaniac that some teams are waiting to sign him for cheap. With the way the UCI scoring system is working now Nairo can still score quite a bit of points in those lower category races. Additionally he can still score some good points in Giro or Vuelta if he can make it his target.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

When I saw how good Nairo was at this year‘s Granon MTF in the Tour, I was certain (and still am) that he still has this old level, which made him win Giro and Vuelta, and finish on the TdF podium.

I think he lost many kilometers on the road when recovering from his knee issues. If that‘s behind him, he can get really good again. And a new contract at top level would be good for his morale. I think he has four or five years at top level ahead of him (=candidate for podium in all GTs)…

He‘s still slightly underrated, because he is not too tall, and his face looks quite old. But he‘s still so good. I‘m optimistic he‘ll have a new contract soon. A Top-10 finisher in the TdF GC normally never lacks offers to ride in the WT in the year after.

 

[YavorD]

When I saw how good Nairo was at this year‘s Granon MTF in the Tour, I was certain (and still am) that he still has this old level, which made him win Giro and Vuelta, and finish on the TdF podium.

I think he lost many kilometers on the road when recovering from his knee issues. If that‘s behind him, he can get really good again. And a new contract at top level would be good for his morale. I think he has four or five years at top level ahead of him (=candidate for podium in all GTs)…

He‘s still slightly underrated, because he is not too tall, and his face looks quite old. But he‘s still so good. I‘m optimistic he‘ll have a new contract soon. A Top-10 finisher in the TdF GC normally never lacks offers to ride in the WT in the year after.

Simply no. His performances on Grannon and AdH the next day are in accordance with what he showed in the last 4 years. Lack of recovery and consistency. He can finish top 5 in a certain GT but he is not at his old level. Remember 2013-15? He was the strongest in week 3. His recovery is gone and that's crucial for a GT.
At the moment he is top 10 contender. His result in the Tour looks good because many of the better riders atm (Mas, Bernal, Roglic, Remco, Carapaz, Hindley, Landa, I dare to say even MAL,, Almeida and S. Yates) were missing or injured. Hell, even DFM was injured and I rate him higher.
He finished 3 minutes behind Gaudu and the Frenchman is nowhere near GT winner level.


I wish him well and good luck, but Quintana is a shadow of his old self.

 

[tobydawq]

He was sixth in the TdF 2022, so one could say he‘s the sixth-best road cyclist in the world, in the moment.

No, one could not say that

 

[Bolder]

But you could make the argument that he is a still a Top 5 GT rider, more or less, which should, in theory, be quite attractive to any number of teams.

As a bonus, he doesn't need a team of climbers, either.

I always found him an easy rider to like, probably because he is a bit enigmatic. He seems to be quite shy and not particularly worldly. He seems to need his entourage (Dayer, Winner etc) around him to feel comfortable outside of Colombia. But he's not really a team player. That's just how he is. On the other hand, we've seen lone wolves get into trouble, Clinic-wise, too...

 

[Extinction]

But you could make the argument that he is a still a Top 5 GT rider, more or less, which should, in theory, be quite attractive to any number of teams.

As a bonus, he doesn't need a team of climbers, either.

I always found him an easy rider to like, probably because he is a bit enigmatic. He seems to be quite shy and not particularly worldly. He seems to need his entourage (Dayer, Winner etc) around him to feel comfortable outside of Colombia. But he's not really a team player. That's just how he is. On the other hand, we've seen lone wolves get into trouble, Clinic-wise, too...

I just like your thinking. I recall when he won at Terminillo in TA in the snow....bad ass.

 

[tobydawq]

But you could make the argument that he is a still a Top 5 GT rider, more or less, which should, in theory, be quite attractive to any number of teams.

As a bonus, he doesn't need a team of climbers, either.

I always found him an easy rider to like, probably because he is a bit enigmatic. He seems to be quite shy and not particularly worldly. He seems to need his entourage (Dayer, Winner etc) around him to feel comfortable outside of Colombia. But he's not really a team player. That's just how he is. On the other hand, we've seen lone wolves get into trouble, Clinic-wise, too...

I don't think he is easy to like at all. Some of the things I have heard riders say he can do during races are crazy. Like purposely dropping bottles on descents to increase the risk of crashes for the riders behind him...

It sounds a little too crazy to be true but I have heard many riders say that he is one of the least liked riders in the bunch.

 

[Escarabajo]

I don't think he is easy to like at all. Some of the things I have heard riders say he can do during races are crazy. Like purposely dropping bottles on descents to increase the risk of crashes for the riders behind him...

It sounds a little too crazy to be true but I have heard many riders say that he is one of the least liked riders in the bunch.

I didn't know this. First time I hear this. That is indeed a very bad thing to do.

 

[saunaking]

So Nairo can still score BUCKETLOADS of UCI points. But Lotto dont want him? They have who? for stage racing?
Then the morons will be panicking as relegation/promotion battles heat up of course.

 

[tobydawq]

I didn't know this. First time I hear this. That is indeed a very bad thing to do.

It was something I heard on Mads Würtz Schmidt's podcast. He is a bit of a whiner (ie a lot of a whiner) but it was his guest who mentioned that incident (the guest who I now cannot remember who was which I realise reduces my credibility) after having been riding right behind him when he had done it. I hope it was a misinterpretation of an action but he is often brought up in a conversation when the riders discuss which riders they have a particular dislike for.