No Quintana in tour 2014

raymond82
raymond82 Posts: 330
edited February 2014 in Pro race
I could only find a dutch news article about this but it's quite a surprise to me, no Quintana in de Tour:

http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2698/Spo ... Tour.dhtml

Quintana will ride the Giro and Valverder the tour and they'll both appear in the Vuelta.

EDIT: btw, good news for Froome, bad news for Richie Porte I'd say!
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Comments

  • FocusZing
    FocusZing Posts: 4,373
    raymond82 wrote:
    I could only find a dutch news article about this but it's quite a surprise to me, no Quintana in de Tour:

    http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2698/Spo ... Tour.dhtml

    Quintana will ride the Giro and Valverder the tour and they'll both appear in the Vuelta.

    EDIT: btw, good news for Froome, bad news for Richie Porte I'd say!

    I can't understand the logic behind that.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    It's very odd. In Quintana's whole career there probably won't be a Tour with less time trialling.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    This doesn't make much sense to me either. The Tour route would appear to suit him perfectly (maybe with the exception of the pavé stage).

    Having said that I wouldn't really bet against Quintana managing to win the Giro and the Vuelta. Maybe Movistar think there's more chance of him winning the Double than the Tour? Or Quintana is actually riding the Tour and they're just playing mind games.
  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    That is really bizarre. Of course a cynic would wonder what power Valverde had to determine such a team selection...

    Alternatively you could think that Movistar think he has no chance of beating Froome but that he can beat the Giro contenders, so its better to at least try and probably succeed in winning one GT in 2014.

    But anything can happen in a GT, Froome could crash on stage 5, you have to be in it to win it, he can't win it sat at home on his sofa.

    All in all probably good news for both Froome and Quintana (in that if he has form and suffers no bad luck then he's Giro favourite) and bad news for Valverde as he will not beat Froome in a month of Sundays unless Froome suffers some bad luck and bad luck for Titchie Richie.

    As for this?
    Quintana wrote:
    De Giro heeft me altijd al aangetrokken, nog meer dan de Tour omdat de ronde bergachtiger is. Deze koers moet mij liggen

    Really has it Nairo, the Giro has always attracted you more than the Tour? OK it's more mountainous but really? One thing's for certain he's on message vis-a-vis team PR.
    Correlation is not causation.
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Might be a Wiggo vs. Froome style power struggle?


    It does make sense though - since winning the Giro is better than coming 2nd in the Tour.
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    It does make sense though - since winning the Giro is better than coming 2nd in the Tour.

    True, even third at the Tour wouldn't have been unimaginable given Nibali is also riding. It's a shame we won't get to see Nibali vs Froome vs Quintana at the Tour.
  • resaRider
    resaRider Posts: 109
    Its not a given that's hes going to beat Porte
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    It's not that odd considering he's still only 23 years old. It's reasonable to assume he might not yet be ready to beat Froome next year, but might be the year after. To win a GT in the meantime is not a bad idea. He has about 10 years of TdFs ahead of him.
  • gpreeves
    gpreeves Posts: 454
    resaRider wrote:
    Its not a given that's hes going to beat Porte

    Absolutely, but I'd rather bet on that than his beating Froome.
  • resaRider
    resaRider Posts: 109
    gpreeves wrote:
    resaRider wrote:
    Its not a given that's hes going to beat Porte

    Absolutely, but I'd rather bet on that than his beating Froome.

    yeah that's a fair one!
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    FJS wrote:
    It's not that odd considering he's still only 23 years old. It's reasonable to assume he might not yet be ready to beat Froome next year, but might be the year after. To win a GT in the meantime is not a bad idea. He has about 10 years of TdFs ahead of him.

    Yeah. I imagine getting two GTs with appropriate rest in your legs is better for development than the Tour.
    _
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Don't underestimate his childhood dream of one day riding a TTT around East Belfast.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • ianwilliams
    ianwilliams Posts: 257
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Yeah. I imagine getting two GTs with appropriate rest in your legs is better for development than the Tour.

    Also, Quintana is quite unique at the moment. It's not unreasonable to assume the Tour would tailor a route in future for him that's at least as favourable as this one.
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    ianwilliams wrote:
    Also, Quintana is quite unique at the moment. It's not unreasonable to assume the Tour would tailor a route in future for him that's at least as favourable as this one.
    Well if Armstrong and Pantani were able to suddenly become TT riders, then nothing is out of the question.

    You make it sound like the Giro is a doddle compared to the TDF. ??
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • morstar
    morstar Posts: 6,190
    Would Nibali have had a better 2013 coming 2nd in the TdF or 1st in the Giro?

    I know which I'd take and it's a great opportunity for him (Quintana) to enter a GT as a leader with a good chance of winning. Hugely valuable experience to take forward into the TdF in future years. As others have said, he's only young with many years ahead of him.
  • ianwilliams
    ianwilliams Posts: 257
    deejay wrote:

    You make it sound like the Giro is a doddle compared to the TDF. ??

    How? I didn't even mention the Giro?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    He was said to be riding the Tour so something has certainly changed.
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    It's not that odd considering he's still only 23 years old. It's reasonable to assume he might not yet be ready to beat Froome next year, but might be the year after. To win a GT in the meantime is not a bad idea. He has about 10 years of TdFs ahead of him.

    Yeah. I imagine getting two GTs with appropriate rest in your legs is better for development than the Tour.

    Agree with both although would prefer to see him this Tour purely from a fan standpoint. Makes it easier for Contador though.
    resaRider wrote:
    Its not a given that's hes going to beat Porte

    Well if Porte beat him mano a mano there would be something amiss. The natural talent scale is tipped so far in Quintana's favour.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • resaRider
    resaRider Posts: 109
    frenchfighter wrote:
    He was said to be riding the Tour so something has certainly changed.
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    It's not that odd considering he's still only 23 years old. It's reasonable to assume he might not yet be ready to beat Froome next year, but might be the year after. To win a GT in the meantime is not a bad idea. He has about 10 years of TdFs ahead of him.

    Yeah. I imagine getting two GTs with appropriate rest in your legs is better for development than the Tour.

    Agree with both although would prefer to see him this Tour purely from a fan standpoint. Makes it easier for Contador though.
    resaRider wrote:
    Its not a given that's hes going to beat Porte

    Well if Porte beat him mano a mano there would be something amiss. The natural talent scale is tipped so far in Quintana's favour.
    well luckily for Porte its a team sport and hes going to take time out of him on the TTs
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    No one yet commented upon the fact that this announcement is only provisional?
    Final decision isn't until January.

    Reading here, you would think that getting team leadership for the Giro is one step away from getting the sack.
    Too much tour love, not enough Giro respect.
    I'd prefer to see competitive fields in both.
    Qunitana v JRod, Porte, Uran, Pinot etc
    Froome v Nibali, Contador, Valverde, Betancur ( and Wiggins :P ) etc sounds good to me.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    I'd prefer to see competitive fields in both.
    Qunitana v JRod, Porte, Uran, Pinot etc
    Froome v Nibali, Contador, Valverde, Betancur ( and Wiggins :P ) etc sounds good to me.


    Sir Bradley?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    edited November 2013
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    I'd prefer to see competitive fields in both.
    Qunitana v JRod, Porte, Uran, Pinot etc
    Froome v Nibali, Contador, Valverde, Betancur ( and Wiggins :P ) etc sounds good to me.


    Sir Bradley?


    No - his son Ben :-)

    (FWIW betcha Wiggins'll be training with the classics boys like G and Stan early season)

    I agree - really competitive fields for both Giro and Tour can only be A Good Thing
  • Essex Rouleur
    Essex Rouleur Posts: 98
    Will be really surprised if this is the case, but maybe Movistar think they can get better exposure at the Giro and Vuelta with possible wins, as opposed to trying to beat up Froome at the TDF.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,310
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    I'd prefer to see competitive fields in both.
    Qunitana v JRod, Porte, Uran, Pinot etc
    Froome v Nibali, Contador, Valverde, Betancur ( and Wiggins :P ) etc sounds good to me.


    Sir Bradley?


    No - his son Ben :-)

    (FWIW betcha Wiggins'll be training with the classics boys like G and Stan early season)

    I agree - really competitive fields for both Giro and Tour can only be A Good Thing


    I could have sworn BS hadn't included Wiggins in his line up.

    Damn!
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Essex Rouleur
    Essex Rouleur Posts: 98
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    I'd prefer to see competitive fields in both.
    Qunitana v JRod, Porte, Uran, Pinot etc
    Froome v Nibali, Contador, Valverde, Betancur ( and Wiggins :P ) etc sounds good to me.


    Sir Bradley?


    No - his son Ben :-)

    (FWIW betcha Wiggins'll be training with the classics boys like G and Stan early season)

    I agree - really competitive fields for both Giro and Tour can only be A Good Thing

    I think Wiggins will be on it early season as well. He hasnt got a new 'agent' for nothing, so he's obviously still thinking of race wins. (Unless hes looking long term at an Evans-Hoy cycling deal...with the aim being that the top end model can park itself against a wall when you throw it down the road!)
  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,030
    Essex Rouleur wrote:
    Will be really surprised if this is the case, but maybe Movistar think they can get better exposure at the Giro and Vuelta with possible wins, as opposed to trying to beat up Froome at the TDF.

    This was Astana's strategy this year. Worked out quite well for them. They looked for 2 GTs and a top 10 in the TdF, knowing they didn't have the fire power to take on Sky in France.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,710
    SecretSqirrel wrote:
    Essex Rouleur wrote:
    Will be really surprised if this is the case, but maybe Movistar think they can get better exposure at the Giro and Vuelta with possible wins, as opposed to trying to beat up Froome at the TDF.

    This was Astana's strategy this year. Worked out quite well for them. They looked for 2 GTs and a top 10 in the TdF, knowing they didn't have the fire power to take on Sky in France.

    That's my thinking, too.
    They had a good Giro this year, given their goal was stage wins.
    Zero ambition in the GC, though.
    This way they aim to get the best return from the GT podiums.
    Other teams ought to consider the same approach.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • pomtarr
    pomtarr Posts: 318
    Sorry - which Quintana are we talking about here?
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/movistar-signs-quintanas-brother-for-2014
    2014 = GT clean sweep by the Quintana brothers. You heard it here first....
    ;)
    "Difficult, difficult, lemon difficult"
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    pomtarr wrote:
    Sorry - which Quintana are we talking about here?
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/movistar-signs-quintanas-brother-for-2014
    2014 = GT clean sweep by the Quintana brothers. You heard it here first....
    ;)
    Or Quintana Jr may claim similar palmares to Prudencio Indurain, Lawrence Roche, Nicolas Jalabert and Juraj Sagan
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • pomtarr
    pomtarr Posts: 318
    RichN95 wrote:
    Or Quintana Jr may claim similar palmares to Prudencio Indurain, Lawrence Roche, Nicolas Jalabert and Juraj Sagan
    Time will tell, but having just bet the farm on it I'm hoping Dayer can come up with the goods.

    p.s. you're probably right of course
    "Difficult, difficult, lemon difficult"
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    That's my thinking, too.
    They had a good Giro this year, given their goal was stage wins.
    Zero ambition in the GC, though.
    This way they aim to get the best return from the GT podiums.
    Other teams ought to consider the same approach.

    It makes perfect sense if you are Movistar and you conclude that Froome is unbeatable by your best guy. It's also good for other GTs to have a more competitive field. But there's surely a problem with a sport where several of the World's top riders avoid, what is by some distance, the biggest race of the year.

    Like Man U/City/Arse shooting for Europa League because Barca/Bayern can't be beaten.
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.

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