Nairo Quintana has not forgotten how to win. The 36-year-old Colombian has been a long way from his best form for several years — but at the Vuelta a Asturias, he has won a professional race for the first time in a very long time. Stage two went to the climber, who put his young rivals in difficulty on a mountainous route to Pola de Lena. He dedicated the victory to the late Cristian Camilo Muñoz.The Vuelta a Asturias does not attract the biggest teams in the peloton, but Movistar and UAE Team Emirates-XRG are among the starters. The latter chose to give youth a chance, including Daan Dijkman — winner of the under-23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège — and Spanish talent Adrià Pericas.
The nineteen-year-old climber threw down the gauntlet on the Alto de la Colladiella, the penultimate and longest climb of the day. Only Quintana — seventeen years his senior — could follow his acceleration. On the descent, a small group came back including Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Samuel Fernández (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Diego Pescador, Quintana’s teammate.
On the next climb, it was the veteran himself who tightened the screw. Pescador followed; the others were gapped again. The advantage grew, and the pair began the final, steep ascent with 50 seconds in hand. On the Alto de Carabanzo, Quintana proved too strong for Pericas. He dropped the youngster at a punishing pace, extended the lead on the descent and crossed the line 26 seconds clear.
Quintana mourns Muñoz: ‘It is very sad’It had been a long time since Quintana last raised his arms. His previous win came at the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et Var more than four years ago, when he was still riding for Arkéa-Samsic — a team he later parted ways with following a doping controversy. Movistar eventually took him back, where he has largely served as a domestique. But at 36, Quintana knows what winning feels like again — victory number 52 of his career.He was happy, but the joy was tempered. Quintana crossed the line with a finger pointed to the sky. Earlier on Friday, Cristian Camilo Muñoz had passed away following his crash at the Tour du Jura the previous week. “It is very sad,” an emotional Quintana said afterwards. “When I heard the news, I was devastated. He was someone who loved this sport. My condolences to his family, to Colombian cycling and to his team.”
Last month, ahead of the Tour of Catalonia, Quintana announced that he will retire from cycling at the end of 2026. He will hang up his bike before the year is out — but at least he can do so with this win in his pocket.