Nairo Quintana outclassed on first summit finish of the Tour de San Luis

Reigning Giro d’Italia champion Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) told reporters after Tuesday’s first summit finish of the Tour de Luis that he’s only riding at 50%, so he couldn’t respond to the surge of 2013 title holder Dani Diaz (Argentina/Funvic-Sao Jose dos Campos), who ascended to the stage victory.

The day’s five-man escape was lassoed at the base of the 4.7-km, 6.7% average Mirador de Potrero climb. Diaz, the Argentinean champion, attacked with Colombian Rodolfo Torres (Team Colombia) three kilometres from the summit and no one in the select group could respond. After sharing the work for just over 2-km, Diaz launched a dig that left Torres behind. Diaz had plenty of time to celebrate at the line in front of the partisan crowd.

Quintana came in with a group of four including Katusha’s Spaniard Daniel Moreno 27-seconds behind and has the same time gap back of Diaz on GC while sitting in 7th. Diaz takes over the orange leader’s jersey from Colombian Fernando Gaviria.

Although Antoine Duchesne (Europcar) had the better of Hugo Houle (Ag2r) in Stage 1‘s Battle of the Canadians, Houle finished 38th on Tuesday to Duchesne’s 135th. Houle jumps up to 45th on GC from 125th, the exact spot that Duchesne now inhabits.

Wednesday’s 176-km stage finishes with a kick-up to Juana Koslay.