Time still stands on the Tour, experiencing a day off, but the activity continues. Nairo Quintana He rearranged his suitcase, ran 60 kilometers, put his body to the test, which so far has responded surprisingly, and told Efe that his ambition to climb the podium for the fourth time in Paris was stronger. now after overcoming the pitfalls of the first week.
Nairo smile more than ever. He speaks calmly, without haste, analytically. He looks different, at 32 years old, being a veteran of a platoon of 20-somethings that, led by Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, got all the headlines.
But, unlike other seasons, when his name was in the headlines, Quintana now feels “more serene”, although he makes sure that “the tension is inside”, but his approach to it is different. “Now I’m enjoying the Tour,” said the Colombian, tenth overall at 2.13 behind the leader.
Question: Does she look beautiful?
Answer: Since the end of last year, my health has respected me and that has allowed me to work properly. The results are visible.
Q: Now comes your land. How do you deal with it?
A: I’m very good, I feel fit. But opponents are also good. We go every 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 previous years?
A: In 2020, with the pandemic, we will be incarcerated for a long time. When we restarted, it was hard to catch the rhythm of the runners with almost no confinement. We were confined a lot. In 2020, I collapsed at the end of the Tour and had surgery on my knees. I came back incurable and so I didn’t dive into the Tour general.
Q: Do you feel like favorites respect you again?
A: Nairo has never been neglected. Every year I win something and that means we’re always there, sometimes better and other better. At the moment, we include the most favorites in the lead.
Q: Is the podium still the goal?
A: I aspire to reach the podium, I don’t know how I will do it, but this is the initial intention, we have to work hard to achieve it.
Q: He looks more confident and smiles.
A: Maybe it’s the years. But the tension was inside, a lot of commitment, a lot of people were hoping for my result. There are a hundred people behind it, working and crossing their fingers so that everything is in order, eating from it. Then the fans who follow you.
Q: Is this your best Tour?
A: I have great tours. In 2013 I had other ambitions and I finished well (second). Also in 2015 (second). In 2016 I had allergy problems (third). In 2017 I came from Giro very tired and I couldn’t do well in general. In 2018 and 2019 there was a combination of team leaders (Movistar) that we were not allowed to specify. I also fell. They weren’t my best years. But it is true that it has been a great Tour for me.
Q: Did it take a while?
A: One always comes too green. If I had the experience now ten years ago, I would have won twice as many races. That was only learned over the years and with hardships. After crises, you learn a lot. I live in a good stage. Now it is very difficult to win and as a result people are not very happy. I’ve won a lot, now I continue to work as tirelessly as ever, but I also want to enjoy myself. There are opportunities to forget to enjoy.
Q: What can you say to young people today?
A: They are living in a very difficult stage. For me, the reference is to 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’s what Pogacar did. We had another projection, they silenced us, they gave us time to grow, to learn. Those now have to come learned or they will run out of equipment. Many immediately stop viewing themselves as champions and causing cases of depression.
Q: Can you beat Pogacar?
A: I think so. I don’t know if I will, but there are teams with very strong men. Playing crazy strategies, destabilizing the race, can cause you difficulty.
Q: Are you stronger than last year?
A: Last year in an attack he lasted two minutes. This year, he is gradually devoting time. I see him as more of a runner, fine, 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 are inside you pull. If not, on wheels.
Q: Can you guarantee that Nairo will be attacked?
A: I cannot guarantee anything. If I had legs I would even do it not to beat Pogacar which is so complicated. But to climb to some position in general.
Q: You seem comfortable with Arkea, do you want to continue?
A: I’ve been here three years, on a team that loves me, I’m happy with them. We have built and solidified the foundations of a great team, which continues to grow. I don’t know yet what will happen, but the idea is to move on. I want to.
Q: Don’t you miss Movistar?
A: No.
Source: La Verdad
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