Analysis of the controversies of the Movistar Team of Nairo, Valverde and Landa – Cycling – Sports

Nairo Quintana has always been the center of attention in world cycling. It is when he wins, when he loses, when he speaks and when they refer to him. The last two years have been difficult for Boyacense, not only because he has not won again as before: he is not the same explosive cyclist on the mountain, and critics of his detractors have increased.

To this we must add that the internal disputes in their teams have been talk of the press, fans, friends and enemies of Nairo and Movistar, but this season, the last of the buoy with that squad, has been the most complicated. Having three great runners like Nairo, Mikel Landa and Alejandro Valverde has been negative for the squad when popularity is spoken, but productive when it comes to the results.

The management of the team's strategy, the behavior of the three runners on the road and their statements have given rise to people talking about the quarrels that exist and even pointing out that internal communication is broken, does not exist, and that each One goes by his side.

TIME consulted experts, who analyzed why Movistar is always at the center of the controversies. The last one, last Friday in the Tour of Spain, when they were pointed at the moment when there was a massive drop in the lot. “The action was unfortunate and is criticizable. I have to say it was not the best decision. It was not the time, ”said Vicente Belda, cycling technician.

In stage 16 of the last Tour de France, Nairo was criticized for not having helped Landa in a getaway. That generated controversy and even forced the squad to record a video in which Quintana and the two Spaniards said there was no problem.

And at 18, when Quintana escaped and managed to have an 8-minute lead to approach the lead, his team pursued. Nairo won the day, but the advantage was reduced considerably. Bad strategy?

“It's hard to get everything right and they can't please those of us who watch television. Obviously they have been wrong in the strategy, we have all lived, but with everything and that they have won in the Giro, the Vuelta and they have been podium in the Tour ”, Belda said.
In the Tour, which ends today, there have been several events. On the fifth day, Valverde was accused of not waiting for Nairo, of helping Roglic when his partner looked bad. “The objective was to minimize the loss of time. López and Roglic are rivals. Nairo was not good, ”said Valverde.

From that day the ‘lora’ came back, whose leader is Movistar, but Nairo, days later, clarified: "Alejandro will take the reins of the team."

“The issue is to manage personal egos. Technicians have that complicated job. I lived it with Oscar Sevilla and Aitor González. The roosters fight in the corral, ”said Belda.

“People talk more than they know. What I say is that it is difficult to control when there is a lot of rooster; that creates controversy, and in all teams there is, ”said Igor Astarloa, world road champion in 2003.

And he added: “In the Italian Saeco he appeared when Paolo Savoldelli was the leader of the Giro and Gilberto Simoni, from the same team, another great champion, wanted the title. People speculated, and the theme that one day, at the end of a stage, Simoni threw a face at his partner became famous; That doesn't look good, but it's nothing strange. ”

In fraction 13, Marc Soler was on top. Nairo came chasing and with options to become a leader, but the Spanish was ordered to wait for the Colombian, which he rejected with a rude gesture. "The DT is the one who says what is done," said Astarloa.

Gabriel Jaime Vélez, Colombian technician, warned that it is difficult to know in depth what is happening. “They only know it in the intern. There are things that are not known. It is a high level cycling, and sports do not rule out rivalries. That is lived daily. The issue is that many people who do not know about cycling speak and take everything out of context, ”he said.

José Luis Rubiera played the Tour six times, seven the Tour and nine times he was in the Tour of Spain. He was part of the Kelme and the US Postal, next to Lance Armstrong, and warned that it is normal to talk more about the account.

“The same happens in all teams. All that is spoken is because there are three leaders with whom they can win. What is sought is the benefit of the team, so individual actions are sacrificed, ”said Rubiera.

He added: “They won the Tour with Ríchard Carapaz, in the Tour they were fifth with Landa and eighth with Nairo. And in the Vuelta, seconds with Valverde and quarters with Nairo. I would like to be in a team like that, which has made better figurations this year than Ineos, the best in the world. ”

LISANDRO RENGIFO
EL Tiempo editor
On Twitter: @LisandroAbel