It has been three days since the Tour de France left the Pyrenees but already Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is itching to get back to the mountains.
Monday’s trip across the Rhône Valley signals the fourth and final transition stage before the race’s Alpine showdown, where the Colombian hopes he can wrestle the yellow jersey from the shoulders of Chris Froome.
“I can’t wait for the Alps to arrive. We are ready and I think they’ll be good for us. We have a strong team and we showed with different attacks, starting to get involved in the breaks. We are all really hungry," he told reporters after stage 15 on Sunday.
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Quintana currently sits second on general classification, having shaken Tejay van Garderen and other rivals on the tough finish at Mende on Saturday. However, he is yet to do any damage to Froome, who rode away from him and into yellow on the first summit finish at La Pierre-Saint-Martin and now leads by three minutes and ten seconds.
After Tuesday’s rest day, there are four high mountain stages with three summit finishes, perfectly suited to the Colombian climber, who won the 2014 Giro d'Italia having come good in the mountainous latter portion of the race.
“Physically and emotionally I’m in good shape, better than in the Giro I won because then I was ill and now I’m fine, there are no excuses," said Quintana.
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