Nairo Quintana set to miss farewell Vuelta appearance in final pro season

Nairo Quintana is set to miss out on selection for the Vuelta a España in his final season as a pro rider. Daniel Miranda of AS reported on Monday that Quintana has been omitted from Movistar’s eight-man selection for the Vuelta.

Ahead of the Volta a Catalunya in March, Quintana confirmed that he would retire at the end of 2026, indicating that the Vuelta would be his final race for Movistar. It now seems that the 36-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements for the Vuelta. 

Cian Uijtdebroeks and Enric Mas are expected to lead the line for Movistar, though AS reported that the team’s final Vuelta selection “could hold last-minute surprises” beyond the surprise omission of Quintana.

It is expected – but not yet confirmed – that Quintana’s final race as a professional will come at the World Championships in Montreal on September 27.

Quintana has spent the bulk of his career with Movistar, having turned professional with the team in 2012 after developing in the Colombia es Pasión set-up. He would finish second overall at the Tour de France the following year, before winning the Giro d’Italia in 2014.

Further podium finishes at the Tour would follow in 2015 and 2016, but Quintana was unable to overcome the dominance of Chris Froome and Team Sky in that era, at least in July. He did, however, underscore his quality by beating Froome to win the 2016 Vuelta, raising hopes that he might eventually get the better of his rival at the Tour.

It wasn’t to be, and Quintana slipped further from the target in the years that followed as part of an ill-fated Movistar ‘trident’ alongside Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa.

A move to Arkéa-Samsic in 2020 initially produced a resurgence of sorts, but Quintana’s career would be interrupted when he tested positive for Tramadol on the 2022 Tour. He was stripped of his sixth-place finish, and although he wasn’t formally banned, he would spend the entire 2023 season on the sidelines.

Quintana made a surprise return to Movistar in 2024, and only a flying Tadej Pogacar could deny him a stage win at Livigno on that year’s Giro. That would prove the highpoint of Quintana’s second coming at Movistar, though he did add a stage win and overall victory at this year’s Vuelta Asturias.

After missing the Giro and Tour in 2026, Quintana looked to be building towards the Vuelta, and he warmed up for the race by placing 18th overall at the Vuelta a Burgos. It now appears that his final Grand Tour appearance came at last year’s Giro, and it remains to be seen if and when he will race again in Movistar colours.