Veteran Colombian star Nairo Quintana is due to spend a lengthy period off racing as he recovers from a ruptured arm ligament injury caused by a crash in the Volta a Catalunya last month, Movistar said on Thursday.
Quintana crashed twice in the Volta a Catalunya, but the second one on stage 7, falling at speed on the approach road to the final Montjuic circuit in Barcelona, forced him to abandon on the last day.
The Vuelta a España and Giro d’Italia winner flew back to Colombia, where he will now spend several weeks at least recovering from the crash.'
Quintana, 33, returned to racing in 2024 after a year-long hiatus in his career caused by the aftermath from his positive test for tramadol and subsequent disqualification from the 2022 Tour de France.
In-competition use of tramadol was barred by the UCI in 2019 but was only added to the WADA banned list from January 1, 2024. Although Quintana could continue racing after his positive tests, he was unable to find a team for 2023, prior to signing for Movistar in 2024.
However, his early season program was abruptly truncated by a positive for COVID-19, and he returned to European racing at the Volta a Catalunya, performing in a support role for teammate Enric Mas prior to his crash.
Quintana has an almost complete rupture of the clavicular ligament in his upper right arm, his team reported, and “With a view to a full recovery will not compete in his next race, the Tour of the Alps. The next races in his calendar will be communicated shortly.”
The five day Tour of the Alps, held mainly in northern Italy, runs from April 15-19 and Quintana was then due to head to the Giro d’Italia, which he won in 2016 and which starts in Turin on May 4. However, for the moment, nothing is certain.
