Nairo Quintana: I don't like there being three leaders
01 December 2018 10:48
Nairo Quintana has said that he doesn’t like the idea of Movistar taking three leaders to a Grand Tour as they did this year’s Tour de France. The Colombian also confirmed that his 2019 season would centre around the Tour de France. Movistar brought Quintana, Mikel Landa and Alejandro Valverde to the Tour de France this year, but had a disappointing race with Landa their best-placed rider in seventh place and Quintana in 10th. They were set to apply the same tactic to the Vuelta a Espana but were unable to as Landa crashed and broke two vertebrae at the Clasica San Sebastian. “I don’t like there being three leaders,” Quintana told France 24 at a press event ahead of his Gran Fondo Nairo Quintana. "It is a way, but personally I don’t like it." He later added that his team manager Eusebio Unzue is adamant that it can bear fruit “he is convinced that this is the way.”ADVERTISEMENT The team is yet to confirm their racing plans for 2019, with the team's first meet-up set for later this month, but it is still possible that we could see all three of Movistar’s Grand Tour contenders come together. Although, it might not be at the Tour as Valverde has hinted at his intentions to go to the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana next season. During the event on Friday, Quintana confirmed his intentions to focus his season on the Tour de France once again. Since finishing third in the 2016 event, Quintana has suffered two disappointing appearances. Last year’s difficulties were put down to the exhaustion of attempting to ride the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France back to back. However, he believes that he was much stronger season but things just didn’t pan out. “At the Tour, we arrived really well. I had problems on the first day and I lost a bit of time. I had a really good level, but things just didn’t go how we wanted,” said Quintana.
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