Argentina preview

Nairo, winner overall in 2014, leads young, highly talented group including Marc Soler’s first competitive appearance in Movistar Team colours

Few hours after seven of their team-mates start the Movistar Team’s 2015 season in Adelaide’s People’s Choice Classic, an expedition led by José Luis Jaimerena will roll off the start of the 9th Tour de San Luis (Monday 19 – Sunday 25), the highest-ranked race in the Latin American circuit. The route includes three mountain-top finishes -Potrero (stage 2), El Amago (st. 4) and Filo Sierras Comechingones, extension of the also-traditional Mirador del Sol set to decide the race on day six-, combined with a 17km ITT in the capital of the province where Adriano Malori claimed one of the Blues’ two stage wins in 2014.

The Italian will be back in Argentina alongside his team-mate and Movistar Team leader Nairo Quintana, winner of the race overall twelve months ago as well as victor in the Cerro El Amago. The Colombian will have a young group at his disposal, with climbers and rouleurs able to support him. Igor Antón, Dayer Quintana and Jasha Sütterlin will be the other names in a lineup completed by Catalan Marc Soler, whose first backnumber as pro cyclist will come on the other side of the Atlantic.