Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) announced that he will ride the Tour de Ain and Criterium du Dauphiné for the Tour de France when he returns to Europe for the resumption of the cycling season, scheduled for August.

The 2020 Tour de France has been postponed due to the COVID-19 epidemic and rescheduled from August 29 to September 20. The Tour de Anne is scheduled for August 7-9, with a smaller version of the Dauphiné scheduled for August 12-16.

"We have been talking with the teams that we could move to mid-July to start the first race, the Tour de l'Ain," Quintana said in a video released by AS (opens in new tab). 'The second race will be the Dauphiné Libéré (Criterium du Dauphiné, editor's note), and then we'll continue our preparation for the Tour de France. And I'll continue to prepare for the Tour de France."

Quintana is currently training in his native Colombia and returned home when the season was interrupted by a coronavirus outbreak in March. Like Italy, Spain, and France, Colombian professionals were forced to train indoors during the initial phase of the blockade, but Quintana has since been able to return to riding on the road.

Although Colombia has suspended all international passenger flights to and from the country until at least August 31, the Colombian Cycling Federation will operate charter flights in July to carry pro athletes to Europe, including Quintana and Tour de France champion Egan Bernal It is asking the government for permission.

Quintana left Movistar to join Arkea Samsic this season, winning the Tour de la Provence and Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var overall and a stage win at La Colmiane on the final day of Paris-Nice to start the 2020 campaign started strongly.

With the addition of Quintana, Arkea-Samsic earned a wildcard slot in the Tour de France. Arkea Samsic was not invited to the Vuelta a España, which was rescheduled from October 20 to November 8.

"We continue to work hard," Quintana said. His goal is to maintain his good form from the beginning of the year and go into the Tour de France at 100%."