Cycling: The first races have been completed. Where do tour specialists Quintana, Contador, Froome, Nibali and Co. stand? Velomotion analyzes the start of the season for the stars.
The Giro d'Italia starts in five and a half weeks, and the Tour de France begins in less than 100 days. The favorites like Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Alberto Contador (Tinkoff), Chris Froome (Sky) as well as Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru (both Astana) have been in preparation for a long time. Their paths have crossed several times. Who has the best early form, who stumbles during preparation?
The good news first: according to the current status, cycling fans can look forward to an exciting tour summer. Many racing drivers from the narrower and wider circle of favorites for the three-week tours have already proven with their first victories of the season that they are to be reckoned with.
The Colombian is currently making the best impression Nairo Quintana. Last year's Tour runner-up started his season in late January with a more than solid showing at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina. There he helped his younger brother Dayer to win his first tour and finished third in the final. After a training phase in Colombia, Quintana reached fourth place in the road race at the national championships there. In March he made his racing debut in Europe with a bang: Quintana prevailed against a strong field at the Tour of Catalonia, which is part of the World Tour, and celebrated his first victory of 2016 after seven exciting stages. Among other things, he distanced himself from Alberto Contador , Chris Froome, Fabio Aru, Richie Porte (BMC) and Romain Bardet (AG2R) well-known tour drivers. This win should boost Quinatan's confidence and further fuel the 'sueño amarillo', the yellow jersey dream. Also the strong performance of Quintana's Movistar team was a sign to the competition.
Chris Froome on the other hand, he was not able to convince at his first race start in Europe. Although he finished eighth in the Tour of Catalonia, he was unable to keep up in the two crucial mountain stages. His Team Sky had worked in the tried and tested manner for a long time, especially on the third stage to La Molina, paving the way for the captain to attack. But when it came down to it, it was Quintana, Contador and Porte, but also Daniel Martin (etixx-Quick Step), Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) who showed strength while Froome was left behind. Nothing dramatic, especially since Froome celebrated his first win of the season at the Herald Sun Tour in Australia and proved his fighting spirit with attacks on the last day of the Tour of Catalonia. But when they meet head-to-head, the first round goes to the competition. It will be exciting to see what conclusions the winners of last year's Tour de France will now draw.
However, it is in good shape Alberto counter. He clinched his first win of the season in February on a hilltop finish in the Tour of Algarve, which he also finished third overall. He was narrowly beaten at Paris-Nice and the Tour of Catalonia and finished second, just a few seconds behind. Contador was present, shaped the races with an offensive driving style and underlined the improving form with his top placings. The man from Madrilene - that was clear - is highly motivated and would like to set a big exclamation point again in what is likely to be his last season.
While the three racers mentioned so far have declared the Tour de France as their goal for the season, Vincenzo Nibali win the Giro d'Italia. He seems to be on course: In February he won the king's stage and the overall standings of the Tour of Oman, placed 15th in the difficult Strade Bianche one-day race and was aggressive in Milan – San Remo. At the Tirreno Adriatico stage race, he finished sixth overall and complained bitterly that the king's stage was not extended due to unpredictable weather. So Nibali's form curve is pointing up, as is his confidence. You can count on him at the Giro d´Italia.
teammate Fabio Arau – last year's second place in the Giro d'Italia and winner of the Tour of Spain – seems to be chasing his form. At the Tour of Catalonia there was nothing to be seen of him in the decisive phases of the mountain stages, only in the final stage did he break the scene on the circuit in Barcelona. One shouldn't write off Aru, who makes his Tour de France debut as captain of Astana this year and is set to be joined by Nibali. It is true that he is the only one of the top tour drivers in 2016 who has not yet won. But on the one hand he has already shown good performances, for example second in the stage behind Contador in the Tour of Algarve (9th place overall) and fourth in the difficult arrival at Xorret del Catí in the Tour of Valencia (6th place overall). And on the other hand things didn't go quite smoothly at Aru in the last year before the Giro d'Italia. But when it came down to it, the form was there.
In addition to the stars, who have shared the victories in the grand tours in recent years, the second row is also in good early form. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), who is aiming for the Giro d'Italia, has already had some good finishes, winning a stage and the general classification of the Ruta del Sol. won at the weekend Thibaut Pinot (FdJ) the Criterium International and celebrated two stage victories (in a time trial and a mountain stage). Romain Bardet (AG2R) finished in the top ten overall at the Tour of Oman, Paris-Nice and the Tour of Catalonia. Froome helper Geraint Thomas (Sky) won two stage races this year with the Algarve Tour and Paris-Nice and could even become a second ace up the sleeve of Sky team boss Sir David Brailsford in the direction of the tour.
From a German point of view it is gratifying that Dominik Nerz and Emanuel Buchmann (Bora Argon 18) are already in good shape. Nerz took seventh place in the Criterium International both in the queen stage and in the overall standings, the German champion Buchmann was thirteenth. Similar appearances at the Tour de France would be desirable, the invitation to the Grande Boucle already has Bora-Argon 18 for sure.
Even if a lot can still happen before the start of the big tours: The early form of many protagonists means that one or the other cycling spectacle can be expected.