Nairo Quintana returns to pedaling in Europe: he will run the Tour of Catalonia

Nairo Quintana rubs his hands. Despite his seniority, he feels anxious about joining a group of cyclists again in Europesince he has not done so since last July 28, 2022, when his participation in the Tour de France.

603 days have passed since the cyclist from Boyacá stopped pedaling in a stage race in the Old continent and from tomorrow he will do it again in the Return to Catalonia, race that he knows very well, in which he has been a figure, having won it in 2016. He had not done so due to the disqualification of that Tour for the use of the substance tramadol, prohibited at that time in competition by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

When almost everything was lost and the hope of seeing him compete again in the WorldTourthe highest category of cycling in the world, appeared Eusebio Unzuéthe manager of the structure sponsored by Movistar, who extended his hand again.

Despite the fact that the hiring for a year of Quintanabecause there is a lot of expectation with him and little has been said about why that decision was made. Unzué He spoke with EL TIEMPO and told the reason why he had Quintana again, who has been the runner who has given him a lot of satisfaction in the last 12 years.

Because of what he has done in his sports career, he did not deserve to end what happened to him in the last year

“Because of what he has done in his sports career, he did not deserve to end what happened to him in the last year. In life mistakes are made and you also have to pay for them, even a man as great as him,” Unzué said. And he added: “They were too hard on him. For everything he has done, for everything he has contributed to this sport, he did not deserve a year like he has been there as a kind of, I dare not call it punishment.” Unzué understands that the best years of the Colombian cyclist have already passed, but he does not ignore that he still has cycling to show on the roads of the world.

“The cycling elite demands. I am aware that we have seen the best of him, but I think he still has cycling left. It is important that he transfer all that experience that he has acquired to young cyclists and bring out that level of warrior that he has,” said the Spaniard.

In the midst of uncertainty, Johan Bruynell, former Belgian cyclist, former sports director of the US Postal and former manager of Astana, assured that Quintana had been vetoed by Tour de France.

“I have first-hand that the Tour organization, ASO, has put pressure on teams interested in Nairo Quintana so they don't hire
him. “These teams need an invitation to run the competition and the decision is obvious,” he said. Bruynellsomething that was not confirmed. Unzué He denied that the veto existed and considered that the respect they had for the Colombian influenced him not to have those options of being hired.

Because of the respect there is for him, I would never call him a veto.

“A veto… No. His name is respected in the platoon. It is not the same for a young cyclist to make those kinds of mistakes as for him to be one of the greats in the peloton who does it. Because of the respect there is for him, I would never call him a veto,” he said.

Nairo Quintana He only signed for 2024 with Movistar, but Unzué opens the door for the runner to continue in the group, according to various circumstances. “This year you are going to discover several things. He will be able to see what level he maintains and should know, according to current cycling, where he is. nairo He is a born winner. He trains, takes care of himself and does everything to be with the best,” he said. And he stated: “He is capable of finding all that ability when you have the illusion of being with the best and from time to time I can beat them.”

Starting tomorrow, that sambenito of one year, seven months and 22 days without integrating a lot into the pedaling of Europe in a Return to Catalonia in which you want to know where it is and what it is made of for 2024.

Nairo Quintana rubs his hands. Despite his seniority, he feels anxious about joining a group of cyclists in Europe again, since he has not done so since last July 28, 2022, when he ended his participation in the Tour de France.

LISANDRO ABEL RENGIFO

@LisandroAbel

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