In a move that secures his spot in the peloton for another year, Nairo Quintana has re-signed with Movistar for the 2025 season. The Colombian climber, revered for his grit and resilience on mountain stages, has committed to supporting team leader Enric Mas and helping Movistar accumulate valuable UCI points in what will be a crucial season under the WorldTour classification system.
This contract extension, announced just weeks before the new season kicks off, follows Quintanaโs return to Movistar at the start of 2024. Although Quintana initially left the Spanish team in 2020, his career took an unexpected turn after he tested positive for Tramadol during the 2022 Tour de France, leading to his disqualification and subsequent exit from Arkรฉa-Samsic. The UCIโs classification of the offence as a medical rather than anti-doping violation meant he served no suspension, but the setback forced Quintana to sit out the entire 2023 season.
Reflecting on his past season with Movistar, Quintana noted the persistent challenges he faced. โ2024 has been a good year,โ he shared in the teamโs press release. โPersonally, I had some setbacks throughout the season, starting with COVID, followed by a sternum fracture, and then a fracture of the metacarpal in my right hand. These incidents, along with a few more crashes, meant I couldnโt be at 100% at key moments, but we were able to get back up and do a quick rehab to help the team.โ Despite these setbacks, the Colombianโs tenacity saw him rallying to support his teammates, even coming close to a stage win at the Giro d’Italia on its hardest mountain day before being caught by overall winner Tadej Pogaฤar near the summit at Livigno.
Quintanaโs focus in 2025 will remain on bolstering Movistarโs team efforts, specifically by guiding Mas in the seasonโs Grand Tours. Quintanaโs passion for the role is evident. โThe renewal for 2025 aims to achieve better continuity, to compete head-to-head in every race, and to support Enric as much as possible in the three-week races,โ he said. His objective is twofold: not only to aid Mas in targeting podium finishes but also to secure the highest possible UCI ranking points for Movistar. โThroughout the season, we will also focus on securing the highest score possible, as this is the last year of this ranking cycle, to keep the team in the best position,โ he stated.
Now 34, Quintanaโs return to Movistar marks nearly a decade with the Spanish squad, during which he won the Giro dโItalia in 2014 and the Vuelta a Espaรฑa in 2016.
