Nairo Quintana: I’m the Movistar leader for the Tour de France
Colombian says he's more prepared than ever to take on the Tour in 2019


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Nairo Quintana says he's the outright leader of the Movistar team for the Tour de France in July, despite riding alongside Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa.
Quintana, currently training in his home country of Colombia, is likely to return to competition at the Critérium du Dauphiné in June having not raced since the GP Miguel Indurain in early April.
>>> Alejandro Valverde to ride Tour de France and Vuelta a España following injury comeback
The 29-year-old started his European season at Paris-Nice in March, where he finished second overall behind compatriot Egan Bernal (Team Ineos), before heading to the Volta a Catalunya where he finished fourth overall. His only win of the season so far came at the Tour Colombia with victory on stage six.
The Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España winner has made no secret of the Tour being his major objective for the 2019 season, with the route extremely favourable to his attributes.
This year's Tour de France features just one individual time trial (27km), but has five summit finishes, three of which finish at over 2,000m in altitude, meaning the 106th edition could be Quintana's best opportunity yet.
"I come to the Tour with more experience, knowing more about my body, the team and the route," Quintana told the press at a conference in Bogotá.
"I am focused on this goal and I trust in my preparation, I always give the best. For me this Tour is simply a new opportunity that I will take full advantage of and I hope that things go well."
In last year's Tour, Spanish team Movistar went with a three-pronged leadership of Quintana, Valverde and Landa, with Landa taking the best GC finish in seventh place at over seven minutes down on winner Geraint Thomas.
Quintana, a three-time podium finisher at the Tour, took 10th place overall but salvaged the team's only win of the race with victory atop the Col du Portet on stage 17.
While all three riders are again likely head to the Tour in the same team, Quintana says that team boss Eusebio Unzué has been clear that he will lead the squad. He added that he would also like to have current Giro d'Italia leader Richard Carapaz as part of the squad in July.
"Eusebio Unzué has told me that I will be the leader for the Tour, so I have been preparing for that and I hope to count on the support of my team-mates," Quintana said.
"I hope [Carapaz] can keep the pink jersey for his country, for Colombia and for all of Latin America. I'd like to have him with me on the Tour as I would like to have Winner Anacona, but the directors choose the best riders; in contention there's also big riders like Valverde."
Quintana has been rumoured to be leaving Movistar at the end of the season, with French team Arkéa-Samsic touted as frontrunners to sign him as they look to move up from Pro Continental to WorldTour level.
The Tour de France 2019 begins on July 6 and ends on July 28.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
-
-
Cycling keeps you fit but are you doing enough to stay healthy?
It’s possible to be very fit in one specific way, for example being fast on a bike, while being unhealthy in other ways
By Joe Laverick Published
-
Dr Hutch: Motor-doping isn't rife, there's no way cyclists would use it discreetly enough
Some fans think that motor-doping is rife, but Cycling Weekly's columnist Dr Hutch is having none of it
By Michael Hutchinson Published
-
Opinion: There will never be another bike rider like Annemiek van Vleuten
The flying Dutchwoman could almost win it all, but now her era has almost ended, she should be remembered as the greatest
By Adam Becket Published
-
Will Barta's Canyon bike snaps in Giro d'Italia stage 10 crash
Movistar rider was caught up in incident in sodden day at Giro d'Italia
By Adam Becket Published
-
Alejandro Valverde to return to racing with new Movistar gravel squad
Spanish veteran will pin on numbers in his first ever gravel race at ‘La Indomable’ in Spain on 23 April
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Women’s WorldTour calendar 'a mess' and 'a nonsense' says Movistar boss
The UCI must invest in the bottom of the pyramid to ensure the sport’s future says Sebastián Unzué
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Where next for Mark Cavendish after B & B Hotels-KTM's collapse?
We look at where the ‘Manx Missile’ could find himself next after the collapse of B & B Hotels-KTM
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Where next for Nairo Quintana? Colombian claims he'll still be at WorldTour races
Bahrain-Victorious say no, Movistar are full, Astana-Qazaqstan and AG2R-Citroën have already denied interest
By Adam Becket Published
-
Nairo Quintana’s Tour de France tramadol disqualification upheld
CAS uphold the UCI decision to disqualify the Colombian after painkiller detected in blood tests
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
-
Movistar quick to quash Mark Cavendish signing report
Italian press speculation over future of sprinter denied by Spanish team
By Adam Becket Published