These were the changes in Nairo's preparation for the Tour

[Akrapovic]

The Colombian made variations in his training system.

Nairo Quintana plays his success of the season in this edition of the Tour de France.
Since he was second in 2013, the goal has been to win the competition. He returned to second in 2015 and finished third in 2016.

The last two years he also planned for victory, but it did not go well: he finished 12th in 2017 and was tenth last year.
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For 2019, the boyacense has not changed his mind. He continues with his motto of the 'yellow dream', so his preparation focused on it in July.

Movistar, his team, helped him; for that reason, the Italians Michele Bartoli and Maximilian Sciandri were very aware of the work that Quintana did.

Both have experience in high level cycling and know how to face a season in which the goal is the Tour de France. Nairo, Movistar and Colombia hope that this work will be translated, finally, in the victory of the Colombian, who varied in some way his way of training for 2019.

"Nairo has, sure, a lot of confidence in the work he does. I must say that normally it is a plus that believes in what is done, in those who prepare it, and that was done, "Bartoli told EL TIEMPO.

"A job was planned specifically for him. The exams for several periods were made in Colombia and Monaco, where he lives, where he spends some time. Something was changed from last year, and he assimilated it well. The sensations are good, and that is key because it must reach the races with good conditions, "said the Italian.

The key in the training was not only in regaining confidence, as Sciandri told TIME, but in talking to him and identifying some drawbacks he had to adjust the charges.

We changed the time of work, of the repetitions, and emphasis was placed on the encouragement of force

"The most important thing was the periodization of the work, we took data every day, and if we saw that it had to be modified, it was done, it was a very personalized program, we knew what it would do three days later and we analyzed the result to continue with it. plan or change, "he said.

He added: "The issue of repetitions was key. We decided that day by day. The idea was to go up several times, for example, a promotion and analyze the result. These repetitions were made day by day, week by week, and the physical response of Nairo was taken into account. The work, clearly, was to raise this height so many times, rather than going on the plain. "

Bartoli trusts that all this work will be reflected during this Tour de France, but that did not stop everything.

"Another key point was the force that is used to try to balance the body. In the past winter, that work was done with him. He had a plan for him to exercise at the gym. With all that, Nairo goes to the Tour to win it and has seen that it has good chances. I am happy for what we have done, and satisfied because that work was well studied, planned and carried out, "Bartoli said.