'I am complete': Nairo Quintana on his accident and abandonment in the Vuelta a Catalunya

The sensations left by the Colombian rider were not good. Nairo Quintana in the Tour of Catalonia, in what was his return to a competition on the old continent after more than a year and a half of absence: his last race was the Tour de France 2022, in which it showed an adverse result for the substance of tramadol.

The 34-year-old rider reached Catalonia with all the hopes of doing a good job in a race in which the super favorite was the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar which in the end ended up giving a class, winning four stages out of seven and winning the title.

However, the 'Condor' could not follow the wheel of the favorites and suffered a health problem before the sixth stage, the queen of the race.

“The team, in general, has been very good, fighting, looking to get on the podium. The team's conditions have been good. However, these trees that we see in the background are the ones that have upset me the most and awakened my allergy. On Friday I had a very big crisis, so I hope to recover and continue supporting,” he explained.

In the development of the 154-kilometer section with five mountain passes: one of third, another of second, one more out of category and two of first, the last of them at the finish line, nairo He fell, setting off his team's alarms. Movistar Team and the fans.

But like a warrior in battle, he got up and finished the fraction in which he lost 14 minutes and 34 seconds to the leader of the competition. In the end, the team announced that Quintana He was in good health and only suffered a few scratches.

“Nairo Quintana after crossing the finish line, with an injury and blow to his knee due to the fall suffered in the peloton,” said the telephone team, giving a piece of reassurance to the Boyacense fans.

History repeated itself this Sunday in the 145.3 kilometer test held in Barcelona, Nairo Quintana He lost his balance on his bicycle and fell to the ground. Despite the blow, he was able to get up under his own power, but he did not continue the stage and got into his team's car, abandoning the Vuelta a Catalunya.

They were barely scratches, fortunately, and I am whole, fine

Hours after the fall, he decided to explain what happened in the race and the reason for his abandonment: “Finally, we have finished the Tour of Catalonia. I have not completed the circuit, since a rider at the front fell and I could not free him, finishing on the ground, again. On Saturday I fell and today (Sunday) it happened again. But well, they were barely scratches, fortunately, and I am complete, fine. We continue preparing for the next races,” he clarified.

Nairo did not report any major health complications and announced that he is going to prepare for the Tour of the Basque Country that will begin on Monday, April 1, where he hopes to have better luck than in Catalonia. “See you in the Basque Country.”

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