While his rivals compete in the Criterium du Dauphine and Tour de Suisse, Movistar's Nairo Quintana is preparing to put the final polish on his Tour de France form at next week's Route du Sud - la Depeche du Midi.
Having won the Tour de Romandie and Volta a Catalunya and been on the podium in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and Tour de San Luis, the 26-year-old said he preferred to train at altitude longer and then do a less intense race before the Tour de France. However he is more convinced than ever about his chances of victory at the 2016 Tour de France.
"We have done a good preparation, I am healthy, and I'm emotionally very well with the family," Quintana said speaking at press conference in Colombia before travelling to Europe. "So far everything is going well. I always say I'm a professional, I've trained one hundred percent to reach the big goal, and then I leave everything in God's hands."
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After his victory in the 2014 Giro d'Italia, Quintana was a favourite to win the Vuelta a Espana that year, but he had a terrible crash in the stage 10 time trial, then abandoned the next day. He ended his season with his mind on the 2015 Tour de France, where he came second to Chris Froome (Team Sky) largely in part due to stage two, where he was caught behind the split in the crosswinds. Without that time loss, Quintana might have come close to beating Froome and he won't make the same mistake twice.
This year, he says his level is higher than last year and he is more mature and relaxed.
"This year I rested well, trained well and the spring races were better than last year, I won two and in the other I was third," Quintana highlighted. "My level was higher and I think that I am maturing more every year. I am the same as last year, with more maturity and tranquility, knowing that I have a good team that will help me."
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