Quintana recons the Pyrenean stages of the Tour de France

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Following his third place in the Vuelta a Pais Vasco, Nairo Quintana has headed to the Pyrenees to study the important mountain stages of the Tour de France.

Quintana is accompanied by Movistar teammate Gorka Izagirre, with the Spanish team confirming he will spend several days studying the stages in the Pyrenees, before travelling to Koblenz, Germany to attend the Pure Cycling Festival organised by the team’s bike sponsor Canyon.

This year’s Tour de France includes three important mountain stages in the Pyrenees: stage 7 to Lac de Payolle, which includes the Col d’Aspin and testing descent to the finish; stage 8 to Bagneres-de-Luchon which includes the Col du Tourmalet and the Col de Peyresourde; and stage 9 to Andorra and the mountain top finish in Arcalis.

The Pyrenees are still capped by snow but Quintana and Izagirre wrapped up to ride in the cold. They were able to ride over the summit of the Col d’Aspin but the 2115m high Tourmalet is likely to remain closed until late in May.

Quintana recently won the Volta a Catalunya race that included a stage to Andorra. 

“I’ve been training well, but there’s a long way to go for the Tour, so I have to be cautious. But I am ready for the challenges,” he said after his victory.