Tour Colombia (st. 11)

Movistar Team finishes 44" behind EF Education First's Rigoberto Urán, first leader in Colombia, following a difficult team time trial for Quintana, Carapaz, Anacona and the rest of the Telefónica-backed squad.

It was a difficult opener for the Movistar Team at the second edition of the Tour Colombia, whose 2019 edition took its curtain up on Tuesday with a fast-paced 14km team time trial in and around Medellín, the biggest city of the Antioquia department.

Quintana, Carapaz, Anacona, Soler, Sepúlveda and Arcas stopped the clock 15’50” after the finish, setting a provisional third quickest which ended up being 7th in the day after the four WorldTour outfits remaining posted their respective times. In the end, 44″ were the gap conceded by the riders directed by Pablo Lastras over EF Education First’s Rigoberto Urán, first orange leader’s jersey of the race.

The ‘cafetera’ race will enter on Wednesday, with a start and finish around Paula Patiño’s home city of La Ceja (150km), a series of three days suited for sprinters before the mountains in the weekend, where the Movistar Team will try to turn things in their favour.

REACTION / Nairo Quintana:

“The legs were good. We Richard, Winner and myself were able to cope well with the effort; our team-mates did their best to support us wherever they could. The important thing right now is that we’re feeling good, and considering this team is more of a climbers’ squad than a TT specialist, we must stay calm and wait for the mountains. Hopefully we can offer some fireworks and gain back some time – if not all. We’ll see how far we can reach then.”

Picture (c): Dario Belingheri / BettiniPhoto.net