Nairo Quintana will focus on stage hunting at this year's Giro d'Italia. The 34-year-old Colombian racer had originally planned to compete for the overall win.
What happened?
Nairo Quintana sustained several injuries, including a ruptured ligament, in a crash at the Volta a Catalunya in March. His recovery has been painful and ongoing.
He has opted for mountain biking to alleviate strain on his sternum and collarbone. Despite this setback, Quintana remains resolute in his intention to make a comeback to the race.
Why it matters for Nairo Quintana
Quintana's career has been on and off for the past several years. He was disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France after testing positive for tramadol.
The Colombian's initial break in the sport came in 2013 when he finished second to Chris Froome in the Tour de France. Then, in 2014, with his Giro victory, he became Colombia's first Grand Tour winner since Luis Herrara in 1987.
What comes next?
Nairo Quintana will continue recovering from injury until the start of the Giro on May 4. He's won three stages in the Italian tour and will look to add to that total.
If he does manage a stage win this year, it will be his first in Movistar kit since the 2019 Vuelta a España. Quintana told AS Colombia, "We are going to get to the Giro d'Italia, maybe not in the way we want or in the best conditions, but we are going to ride well, and surely at the end of the last week, I will be much better than at the beginning.