Tirreno-Adriatico (finale)
Nairo Quintana conquers 2015 Tirreno-Adriatico in San Benedetto del Tronto after holding off rivals in TT showdown, crowns magnificent Movistar Team performance with two stage wins and the teams' overall
The composure, reliability and talent of Nairo Quintana and the Movistar Team led the telephone squad to another brilliant success on Italian soil. The 25-year-old Colombian is the final winner of the 50th Tirreno-Adriatico after racing safely through the 10km individual time trial in San Benedetto del Tronto, in order to secure his first overall triumph in the 'Race of the Two Seas'.
Supported by magnificent references from three of his team-mates into the day's top-10 -Malori (2nd) went on another exhilarating duel against Cancellara (TFR), beaten this time by only four seconds; Castroviejo completed an excellent week with his 4th spot; and Andrey Amador crossed the line in 9th-, the Cómbita-born rider took advantage of his comfortable gap against Bauke Mollema (TFR) -39 seconds, eventually reduced to 18- and claimed the 'Trident' on the final podium, joined by the Dutchman (2nd) and fellow Colombian Rigoberto Urán (EQS). The squad directed by José Luis Jaimerena and Chente García Acosta also snatched the teams' overall.
Movistar Team adds one of the few stageraces in the WorldTour still missing on their account -the Tours Down Under, Romandie and Pologne are the three still escaping to the Blues' dominion- and reaches the 10-win milestone this season, just four short of the 800 since the team stepped onto the pro scene. It's also Nairo Quintana's 24th success as pro cyclist, having obtained overall victories in the Giro ('14), País Vasco ('13), Burgos ('13, '14), San Luis ('14), Route du Sud ('12) or Murcia ('12) -not forgetting the 2010 Tour de l'Avenir, before joining the Blues-, which prove his confidence and extreme competitiveness wherever he rides in.
REACTION / Nairo Quintana: "I couldn't take things easy because it was a pretty demanding time trial, a bit longer to last year's and harder. The rivals had a bigger advantage over me in that terrain and I had to go on full steam; fortunately, things went 'normal', as good as I needed to keep the jersey, and I'm really happy. This victory was also needed for my morale: after the crash in the Vuelta a España, I had spent a long period without living a moment of joy like today's, one for which you prepare yourself and spend so much time working hard.
"Fortunately, we didn't suffer any incidents nor mechanicals this week, and the whole team performed at an impressive level, really strong. Fran [Ventoso] was a bit ill and feverish, but despite not having his best form, he always helped us out, did really well – and the rest were incredible, did their work really, really well. And not only my team-mates, but the whole group: the sports directors, carers, mechanics… they are always taking care of me, helping me out, and this victory is dedicated to them and my family. Now, I'll take some days of rest before the cobbled classics next week and then, País Vasco."