Nairo Quintana nets overall at Vuelta Asturias
Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) landed his first victories since knee problems and subsequent surgeries torpedoed his 2020 season over the weekend.
The 31-year-old was able to fend off pressure from Movistar duo Antonio Pedrero and Einer Augusto Rubio on the mountaintop finish on the Alto del Naranco to secure the overall at Vuelta Asturias on Sunday. French hotshot Pierre Latour (Groupama-FDJ) took victory on the five-kilometer finishing climb in the hills of the Asturias.
After storming into the leader’s jersey with a stage win Friday, Quintana was able to finish the job Sunday in a key result as he builds toward the Tour de France.
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STEINFORT, LUXEMBOURG - MAY 01: Emma Norsgaard Jorgensen of Denmark and Movistar Team celebrates at arrival during the 13th Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs 2021, Stage 1 a 125,1km stage from Steinfort to Steinfort 321m / #felsy / #UCIProSeries / on May 01, 2021 in Steinfort, Luxembourg. (Photo by Bas Czerwinski/Getty Images)
Team Movistar doubled up across its men’s and women’s squads Saturday.
Young Dane Emma Norsgaard delivered at Festival Elsy Jacobs after a season of near-misses, while home talent Héctor Carretero outsprinted Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) in a reduced kick at Vuelta a Asturias.
Although the likes of Alejandro Valverde and Annemiek van Vleuten typically top the headlines for Movistar, Saturday’s results saw two of the squad’s young promises step up, with both Norsgaard and Carretero notching their first victories for “the blues.”