Paris (AFP)

A new chapter begins for Nairo Quintana, who begins his season Thursday with the time trial of the Colombian championships: other colors, another cohabitation with another leader but an identical ambition, in the opinion of his new boss of Arkea -Samsic, Emmanuel Hubert.

He went from Mikel Landa and especially Alejandro Valverde, whom he worked with since his professional beginnings in 2012 at Movistar, at Warren Barguil. Quintana, long the Colombian great hope to win the Tour de France before Egan Bernal won last year, joined a second division formation determined to grow.

"We arrive at a team equivalent to certain WorldTour teams", notes Emmanuel Hubert, who proceeded with a large format recruitment (twelve new ones, including N. Quintana, Bouhanni, Rosa, McLay, Owsian, Boudat). "There are still a few elements missing for the dynamics of the classics. If I have the opportunity, it will be a growth factor."

But, in 2020, it is in the mountains, mainly the Tour de France, that the riders of the Breton team are expected, who adopted a red outfit synonymous with ardor according to his manager. With a unique association between Quintana, three times on the Tour podium, and Barguil, the French champion also winner of several stages in the biggest race in the world.

- Sharing of leaders -

"These are two strong characters, but two intelligent boys", notes Hubert who does not intend to define the roles in advance: "There is a common division of this position of leader. We will advise on the Tour de France. When the riders have the explanations for how to proceed, there is nothing to worry about. "

After the "stopwatch" and the online race of its national championships this week, Quintana will skip the Tour of Colombia. Direction the south of France for the Tour La Provence, its first race with Barguil. Before Paris-Nice in March, another joint race for the two leaders of the Breton team.

"I know Warren and I know that we are not problem types", said in December to AFP the Colombian, 29 years old in the civil status. "Warren knew very early on the arrival of Nairo," adds his boss. "He held his tongue for a long time, that means that he felt involved in this recruitment. He always said to me: + it's great, the team is growing +".

How high? "I'm not afraid to say that we want to win a big tour in the next three years," replies Hubert, specifying his expectations of Quintana this season. "He wants to play wins in Paris-Nice, he wants to make a good ranking at the Dauphiné and play the podium at the Tour de France," he details.

"What I expect, he adds, is that there is complementarity between him, who has already won the Giro and the Vuelta, and Warren, who has the legs to win a big lap. I want that both exist. " At the time of the vows, the boss of Arkea-Samsic even lets himself go to a projection: "A successful Tour, it would be a stage victory for each and perhaps a podium for one of the two .. . there is no preference ".

© 2020 AFP