Pello Bilbao: 'Nairo Quintana deserves a second chance'

Tour de France 2023 stage 10: winner Pello Bilbao points to #RideforGino logo on helmet
Tour de France 2023 stage 10: winner Pello Bilbao points to #RideforGino logo on helmet (Image credit: Getty Images)

Basque allrounder Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) argued strongly that Nairo Quintana deserves a second chance after the veteran Colombian climber’s hiatus season in 2023 that followed his double positive for tramadol in the 2022 Tour de France.

Quintana is now back in racing in 2024 after returning to his former team Movistar and already training with the team in Calpe, Spain after being without a team for the 2023 season.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.