There will be no Grand Tour grand finale for the retiring Nairo Quintana this month after the Colombian was surprisingly overlooked of Movistar’s choice for the Vuelta a España.
Quintana, 36, is racing the ultimate season of his profession this 12 months, with 51 race days and eight stage races underneath his belt to this point. He will not bow out with a Grand Tour, nonetheless, after racing to a strong 18th place on the latest Vuelta a Burgos.
Movistar have as an alternative named an eight-man choice headed up by 23-year-old Cian Uijtdebroeks and 31-year-old Enric Mas.
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Earlier this week, Spanish sports activities paper AS reported that Movistar wouldn’t be deciding on the Colombian veteran, noting that normal supervisor Eusebio Unzué made the ultimate choice.
AS journalist Dani Miranda reported that the ultimate spot would as an alternative be crammed by Venezuelan sprinter Orluis Aular, who earlier this 12 months picked up a second place on stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia.
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Neither the crew nor Quintana have but commented on his exclusion.
Quintana had deliberate for the Vuelta a España to be his skilled biking send-off, and AS reported that he launched into a 10-day coaching camp forward of the race. With no Vuelta on his schedule for the tip of the season – barring any last-minute drop-outs – Quintana may as an alternative look to name time on his profession with a trip on the Highway World Championships in Montreal, Canada.
He introduced his retirement again in March and has since picked up what look to be the ultimate victories of a storied profession which has included Grand Tour triumphs on the 2014 Giro d’Italia and 2016 Vuelta a España. In April, he received a stage and the general on the Vuelta Asturias, devoted his win to compatriot Cristian Camilo Muñoz, who died earlier within the week.
With no Quintana on the Movistar roster in Spain, the crew will as an alternative look to Uijtdebroeks and Mas. Iván Romeo, fourth on the Tour de Pologne, Raúl García Pierna, within the break eight instances on the Tour de France, and Pablo Castrillo, twice a stage winner on the 2024 Vuelta, will present key help. Aular and 34-year-old highway captain Jorge Arcas spherical out the choice.
Belgian racer Uijtdebroeks might be beginning his second Grand Tour of the 12 months after falling ailing and abandoning through the first week of the Tour de France. The previous Tour de l’Avenir winner is but to duplicate his breakthrough eighth place on the 2023 Vuelta, and Movistar’s hopes might be excessive for one more prime putting.
Mas, in the meantime, has been there and performed that at Spain’s largest race. He has completed on the rostrum there on 4 events, together with three runner-up spots. Fifth place on the latest Vuelta a Burgos suggests he is in good type, although with Tadej Pogačar on the beginning listing, a second total, one other second place seems to be to be the peak of his ambitions.
Movistar for the 2026 Vuelta a España
Enric MasCian UijtdebroeksOrluis AularIván RomeoCarlos CanalJorge ArcasRaúl García PiernaPablo Castrillo
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