Last Monday (18), through social networks and official websites, Movistar shared that Nairo Quintana will make his second return to the category at the Tour of Colombia, in Boyacá, which will be held between the 6th and 11th of February of the next year. Previously, the team had stated that the athlete would start in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.
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“I’m riding well, but we’ll have to progress little by little in the season. We are starting with the Tour Colombia, which will be a great indicator. It’s very early, but it will tell us something about where we are and where we will look to improve both in terms of team and personal goals,” said Nairo Quintana.
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In addition to the return of the cyclist, the competition will also make its debut next year, as 2019 was the last year of competition, the same year in which the cyclist participated in the stages and won the match he was running in Alto de Palmas. Before the announcement of his new team, the athlete had participated in the Colombian Championship, earlier this year, independently.
“The years have passed and hope has not been lost, but we must be aware and realistic as well. It is necessary to always speak with reality and without deceiving anyone. The important thing is that motivation is present in this restart. I feel like I should take advantage of the great opportunities I have now and I should take advantage of them too,” said Nairo Quintana.
Due to signs of Tramadol having been found in his latest tests, in which he anticipated competitions, the athlete was accused of having practiced doping and violating one of the rules described in the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) regulations. However, Nairo Quintana did not comply with decisions established at the time regarding the actions.
Even denying the facts and stating that he was considered innocent, the cyclist was released from his former team, Arkéa-Samsic, and disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, leaving him without a team and absent from professional sport for approximately one year.