There have been sicknesses and delays, however after a year-long hiatus Nairo Quintana lastly made his return to a WorldTour occasion on the Volta a Catalunya on Monday, a race with which he has robust emotional and historic connections.
Quintana, 33, had a optimistic check for tramadol and subsequent disqualification from the 2022 Tour de France. In-competition use of tramadol was barred by the UCI in 2019 however was solely added to the WADA banned record from January 1, 2024. Though Quintana might proceed racing after his optimistic checks, he was unable to discover a crew for 2023.
That each one modified in 2024 after Quintana signed for Movistar, his crew from 2012 to 2019. He began his season on dwelling roads on the nationwide championships and the Tour Colombia. He was then set to race at O Gran Camiño, however a COVID-19 analysis meant his European debut was delayed by three weeks.
In some methods, the change was for the higher, although, given Catalunya has a substantial amount of private significance for Quintana, as he informed reporters on the stage 1 begin in San Feliu de Guixols.
“I’m more than happy to be right here, I first raced this occasion in 2011, it was my first ever WorldTour race, and I’ve had numerous joyful moments right here since then, like once I gained right here in 2016,” Quintana mentioned.
Second in 2018 and with 5 high 5 locations total on GC within the Volta so far, Quintana’s lone stage win within the Volta to date could have are available 2013, however it was Vallter, the summit end which the peloton tackles on Tuesday.
Not solely that, again within the 2011 version a 21-year-old Quintana claimed an important breakthrough triumph within the mountains classification, when he was racing for the Colombia es Pasión-Café de Colombia squad. After that, it was onto his first WorldTour crew at Movistar in 2012 – and the remaining, so to talk, is historical past.
Nonetheless, Quintana performed down his choices within the 2024 Volta a Catalunya, saying that he had been hit onerous by the COVID-19 virus and the sickness “was one of many worst I’ve had.”
“However little by little I’m getting there, and my purpose right here is to assist [team leader] Enric Mas,” he added.
“It’s one of the vital spectacular editions this yr, and one of many hardest within the final 10 years. Given what I’ve come via I gained’t be as good as typical, however I’ll do what I can to assist.
“After getting via COVID, in any case, it is a nice solution to discover some higher legs and decide up some race rhythm.”
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