Quintana hopes for better form at the Tour de France
Quintana (8th overall at TDF GC at first rest day) hopes to recover after lack of energy brings him setbacks early in the race; has no regrets about tackling GC in both Giro and Tour de France
Following Adriano Malori's retirement announcement, which opened Monday's Movistar Team press conference on the first rest day of the 2017 Tour de France, Nairo Quintana spoke to the media. The Colombian analysed his situation in the 'Grande Boucle' and reflected on his hopes to make up the 2'13" deficit he has on the leader's jersey, now sitting 8th overall before the Pyrenees, the Massif Central and the Alps. Excerpts from his reactions to the journalists' questions follow below:
"So far it's been more about will than might. We're still up for the fight, though, and we'll try to keep improving. We have lost some time until yesterday, and to be honest, it was only due to lack of energy. However, there's still a long way to go in this Tour, and we're so determined to do great things in what's to come. I'm not going through my best moment as a pro, that's obvious, but I still hope to go through some 'brilliant' days in the remainder of the race."
"It's true that I've got many racing days on my shoulders, considering I completed the Giro. I don't know if I'll get better during the next two weeks or not. But I'm really hopeful about finding my best legs, even for one day, and I can just hope it's in an important stage.
"It might look as through Froome is doing slightly worse than in previous years, and many riders are quite close to each other. That's why I don't consider it's a big gap already for me behing them. If I find that great day, anything can still happen."
2017 Tour de France Stage 9 Top Ten results
1 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 5:07:22
2 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Sunweb
3 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
4 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
6 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
7 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:01:15
8 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky
9 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors
10 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
2017 Tour de France GC after Stage 9
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 38:26:28
2 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:18
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:51
4 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:55
5 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:01:37
6 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:44
7 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:02:02
8 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:02:13
9 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky 0:03:06
10 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:03:53