time stops in the tourswho lives the rest day, but the activity continues. Nairo Quintana rearrange your suitcase, run 60 kilometersputs his body to the test, which for now has responded wonderfully, and tells Efe that his ambition to get on the podium for the fourth time Paris is now stronger after having overcome the traps of the first week.
nairo smile more than ever. He speaks calmly, unhurriedly, analytically. He looks different, at 32 years old, become the veteran of a platoon of 20-somethings who, led by the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, grab all the headlines.
But, unlike other seasons, when his name made headlines, Quintana now feels “more serene”although he assures that “the tension goes inside”, but he faces it in a different way. “Now I enjoy the Tour”assures the Colombian, tenth overall at 2.13 behind the leader.
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Question: Does he look in good shape?
Answer: Since the end of last year, my health has respected me and that has allowed me to work well. The results are seen.
Q: Now your field arrives. How do you face it?
A: I’m very good, I feel fit. But the rivals are also good. We are going to go day by day, seeing how the body continues to respond. I’m calm, I think we’re going to have a good second week and finish well in the third.
Q: What has changed in Nairo compared to the last few years?
A: In 2020, with the pandemic, we were locked up for a long time. When we restarted it was difficult to catch the rhythm of runners who had practically no confinement. We had a lot of confinement. During 2020 I had falls at the end of the Tour and surgery on my knees. I came back without recovering and that’s why I didn’t compete in the general of the Tour.
Q: Do you feel that the favorites respect you again?
A: Nairo has never been neglected. Every year I win something and that means that we are always there, sometimes better and other times much better. At this moment, we are with the most favorites to be on top.
“I ASPIRE TO REACH THE PODIUM”
Q: Is the goal still the podium?
A: I aspire to reach the podium, I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but it’s the initial intention, we have to work hard to achieve it.
Q: He looks more confident and smiling.
A: Maybe it’s the years. But the tension is inside, there are many commitments, many people depend on my results. There are a hundred people on these backs, working and crossing their fingers so that everything goes well, who eat from it. Then the fans who follow you.
Q: Is it being your best Tour?
A: I have had good tours. In 2013 I had other ambitions and I finished very well (second). In 2015 also (second). In 2016 I had allergy problems (third). In 2017 I came from the Giro very tired and I couldn’t do well overall. In 2018 and 2019 there was a combination of leaders in the team (Movistar) that did not allow us to define. I also had falls. They were not my best years. But it is true that this has been a nice Tour for me.
Q: Has it taken a while?
A: One always arrives too green. If he had had the experience of today ten years ago he would have won twice as many races. That is only learned over the years and with difficulties. After crises you learn a lot. I am living a good stage. Today it is very difficult to win and that makes people enjoy less. I have already won a lot, now I continue to work tirelessly as always, but I also want to enjoy myself. There are times that one forgets to enjoy.
Q: What would you say to young people today?
A: They live a very difficult stage. For me, the reference was Valverde or Contador, who started winning when they were 25 or 27 years old. Now the bar is higher, young people want to win the Tour at the age of 20, because that is how Pogacar did it. We had another projection, they calmed us down, they gave us time to grow, learn. Those of now have to come learned or they run out of equipment. Many immediately stop seeing themselves as champions and that generates cases of depression.
“POGACAR CAN BE BEATED”
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Q: Can you beat Pogacar?
A: I think so. I don’t know if I do, but there are teams with very strong men. Playing crazy strategies, destabilizing the race, can put you in difficulty.
Q: Are you stronger than last year?
A: Last year in an attack he took two minutes. This year he has been taking time progressively. I see him as more of a runner, finer, I think he is stronger this year.
Q: To beat him do they all have to unite against Pogacar?
A: I don’t think there is a strategy as such. You can go out and if you’re inside you pull. If not, to wheel.
Q: Can you guarantee that Nairo will attack?
A: I will not guarantee anything. If I have the legs I’ll do it, even if it’s not to beat Pogacar, which is very complicated. But to climb some position in the general.
Q: You seem comfortable at Arkea, would you like to continue?
A: I have been here for three years, in a team that loves me, I am happy with them. We have built and solidified the foundations of a great team, which continues to grow. I still don’t know what will happen, but the idea is to continue. I would like.
Q: Don’t you miss Movistar?
A: No.
