The Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana, who spent a year without a contract with a professional team, returns to Movistar in 2024, five years after he left, according to the Spanish team on social networks and on its official website.
Quintana, 33 years old, wore the colors of Movistar from 2012 to 2019, a team with which he achieved the great achievements of his professional career such as the 2014 Giro d’Italia, the 2016 Vuelta a España and three podiums (second in 2013 and 2015 and third in 2016) in the Tour de France.
“I’m excited to be back home. It’s been a difficult year. Days without sleep, many days of enormous sacrifice, getting on the bike and trying to walk forward, rain or shine. But it’s been worth it. I’m not going to miss the opportunity. I know the values of the team, the values of the sport. I am going to give my all to do well and I want to contribute to the team to obtain the best results,” said Quintana when announcing his return to the Spanish team.
“With this experience he has, he will be a leader every day for sure. We rescued a great guy for cycling,” said team leader Eusebio Unzúe.
Some responses to the press from the Colombian cyclist:
Back at Movistar: A great reunion, it’s been 11 years in which I was always linked to the brand. Thank you for that unconditional support, four years away but today we are here again hugging and remembering good times and thinking about the good future.
Excited: I knew that Colombians with their hearts, just as I wanted him to be on the roads again, now I dream again. I believe even more again that I can continue doing beautiful things, contributing to the team, I really want to continue, to do very well.
Difficult year: I am in the best of scenarios, with this great news, a year ago I had to get up strong, set an example for my children, I couldn’t stop pedaling to get out of this and come back. This for me has been another test. I never stopped fighting to return to competition. I continued to be in shape, we don’t know the rest, it will be speculation, the objective is to start this new cycle in the best way.
He returned after four years: When I left the team it was my decision, I wanted new challenges, we always missed each other and thought about each other, we were always united. After a chat with Eusebio remembering great moments and we said, why not? and here we are. Some days you’re sad, other days you’re happy, but it was a change I wanted to make. I return because since I left the team I missed them and the feeling has always been there. I return because it is my home, I feel the mark in my heart.
Run the Tour de France?: We are going to have the team’s concentration, where the entire strategy will be discussed, which they are surely already beginning to propose within the technicians and coaches, and after they return from December 20 we will be able to Comment on what competition and where we would start. There is Tour Colombia, we do not yet know the possibility that it can start here in Colombia.
New teammates: The reinforcements that arrive to the team are very experienced, very versatile men, they will surely be key pieces to strengthen the team.
Getting to Nice with the Tour: It is always good to dream, being second twice in the Tour made us dream, we have tried, we fought. Today it must be said that we must raise our hands and hand over the baton, because years have passed and this new generation is strong. We are not going to deceive ourselves, nor am I going to make more commitments than I can’t.
Here we review the most important achievements while defending the Spanish team’s shirt:
Vuelta a Murcia: Champion 2012
Giro de Emilia: Champion 2012
Tour of the Basque Country: Champion 2013
Vuelta a Burgos: Champion 2013 and 2014
Tour of San Luis: Champion 2014
Giro d’Italia: 2014 Champion
Tirreno Adriatico: Champion 2015 and 2017
Volta a Catalunya: Champion 2016
Tour of Romandie: Champion 2016
Tour of Spain: Champion 2016
Vuelta a Asturias: Champion 2017
Source: ESPN