Nairo 4th at Milano-Torino

Strong display at Superga

Quintana completes fine last climb to Superga in only his third racing day this autumn, pays back Movistar team-mates after big efforts in the oldest classic of the UCI calendar.

Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team) showed himself back at the front of a top-class race at Thursday’s 98th Milano-Torino. The Colombian rider showed again his immense classat the 186km Italian race, with two decisive climbs to the Basilica di Superga, and finished in 4th place, just 28″ behind countryman Rigoberto Urán (CDT).

Following good lead-out from Dowsett and Carretero at the front of the bunch at the run-in to the foot of the first climb, no less than three of the Blues picked up the pace into the ascent. Dayer Quintana, Víctor de la Parte and Winner Anacona, who even made it into a five-man counter behind Taaramäe (KAT) and Alaphilippe (QST), all anticipated a last strong effort by Quintana, who overtook many rivals over the climb despite Gaudu (FDJ), Aru (AST, 3rd) and Adam Yates (ORS, 2º) leaving the group behind from the foot with eventual winner Urán.

Nairo was just eight seconds short to a first podium finish this autumn – with only two racing days as he took part in the Worlds’ road race with his national team before putting on a Movistar Team jersey last Tuesday at Tre Valli Varesine. The ‘Cóndor’ will surely look forward to finishing his late season in Italy on a high note as he faces the fifth, final Momument of the classics season in Saturday’s Il Lombardia.