Movistar’s Nairo Quintana, twice second-place-winner in the Tour de France, unfortunately, did not start this season’s biggest event with the right foot.
He, due to a sudden speed bump, only 3.5 kilometers to go, broke both of his bike’s wheels!
Even though he received immediate help from Mavic neutral support and then soon after, got his spare bike, when he arrived at the finish line in Fontenay-Le-Comte, he had already lost too much time…
“I hit a speed bump right before of the safety zone of the last three kilometers,” Quintana said.
“Both of my wheels broke and I couldn’t go on. This is how things work in cycling, there is no other way forward and it’s only comforting that Chris Froome also lost time and so that means I’m only a few seconds behind him.”
? Puncture for Quintana!
? Crevaison pour Quintana !#TDF2018 pic.twitter.com/QoUr55qCWy— Le Tour de France (@LeTour) July 7, 2018
Three leaders
Movistar is the only squad who has been able to bring three classification leaders to this year’s Tour de France including Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana, and Mikel Landa.
“The first three quarters of the day were calm, but in the end came tension and nerves. It was very difficult. In such circumstances you never think, and it costs energy,” Landa said.
On the other hand, team CEO Eusebio Unzue admitted this was certainly not the best way to start the most important cycling event in the world.
“Although it is not the best way to start the Tour, there are many stages to try to recover time. And at least Alejandro and Landa finished with the lead group,” he said.
“We had Rojas, who was in charge of giving him his bike if any mishap occurred, but he fell beforehand. Soler was already off the back, and Amador and Bennati tried to help him later.”