Nairo Quintana got his 2015 season up and running with overall victory at Tirreno-Adriatico. It was a particularly icy edition version of the Race of the Two Seas, with rain and snow offering an unexpected challenge for the peloton throughout the week.
Rider of the race
Nairo Quintana (Movistar) was a deserved winner of the overall prize, and an equally meritorious rider of the race. Remarkably, he is the first ever Colombian winner at Tirreno-Adriatico, and he pulled off the feat in the best way possible: a solo victory on the queen stage. He attacked on the final climb of stage five up to Terminillo in central Italy, dropping his rivals and coming across the line almost a minute before everyone else. It was a win made to appear all the more heroic by the blizzard conditions, with the lights of the vehicles turning Quintana into an icy silhouette on the customary finish line photograph. It was a win that neither Quintana nor we will forget in a hurry.
Four things we liked
1. The weather. We’re certain that the riders won’t agree that the miserable weather was a star feature, but this race is unquestionably one we’ll remember for its remarkable conditions. The riders looked as uncomfortable as a Basque on the Belgian cobbles, and it made for gripping viewing. Certainly, Quintana raised a good point after his dramatic win at Terminillo, noting that had the snow fallen on a downhill finish, there would have had to be serious safety questions asked, but as it was, it was it made for great viewing.
The race in numbers
50 – This year marked Tirreno-Adriatico’s golden anniversary: it was first won by Dino Zandegù back in 1966.
1,006.4 – The total length, in kilometres, of this year’s race; the shortest since the six-stage 1988 edition.
1 – Nairo Quintana became the first ever Colombian to win Tirreno-Adriatico.
260 – The time, in days, between Peter Sagan‘s last two victories.
General classification
1. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) 25:11:16
2. Bauke Mollema (Trek) +0:18
3. Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-Quick Step) +0:31
4. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) +0:35
5. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) +0:39
6. Stephen Cummings (MTN-Qhubeka) +0:40
7. Wout Poels (Sky) +0:56
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r La Mondiale) +0:59
9. Adam Yates (Orica GreenEDGE) +1:09
10. Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo) +1:11
Link: Official race website
Header image: Tirreno-Adriatico/Gazzetta.it
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