Igor Antón (Movistar Team) will take part in his third Giro d'Italia and will do so in a new role helping Nairo Quintana, "a clear leader and a safe bet" as he hopes to fulfill his mission in the mountains. The Basque climber confirms that "the challenge is great" and that his goal is to meet the requirements and equipment in order to be on the podium or even win.

Anton rushes the last days at home to refine his fitness and the best time to depart to Belfast. "I do not have much time, homework must be done before. Get there comfortably, especially about making a few last good workouts to keep and maintain the good sensations." 

The Giro del Trentino helped him take a step forward, but ended with a bittersweet taste for failing to put the icing with a better position in the General Clssification as he finished 11th." The team time trial gave me confidence -Movistar Team was ranked fourth-  was also important because we will have one in the Giro. The next two stages suited me very well. On the wall was perfect for me. The last day I felt a little sad because I could not reach the level of the previous two days, I had the podium in my hand, but I had a bad day and could not finish. In any case, I was pleased to see my competitive level, with riders who will be in good shape at the Giro, and has given me a confidence that I needed after Catalunya" he says.

The Giro d'Italia will be Nairo Quintana’s chance to win a first Grand Tour. "He is a clear leader, is the present and future of this team. His feet are on the ground, he knows what it takes everything and is very grateful. And it is demanding. I was with him in Tirreno and Catalunya. He always wants to go faster, faster, it 's never enough," notes Anton on the Colombian who is on everyone's lips as one of the candidates on the podium and win the Giro. "The challenge will be great. Go with the mindset that you do not know the Giro and it will discover. Nairo is among those chosen to fight for the General and no one knows where it will end; he has been shown to be up to the podium,"says Anton. Your role will be to work as it did in Tirreno and Catalunya. "It is not new to me because we had Samuel Sanchez at Euskaltel, although I had more freedom there. Nairo is an even safer bet. If he wins and I could be there, near him in the mountains, it would be amazing, I would enjoy very much as if he had won. It would be a real blast" he says.

Anton lived a magical moment in 2011, when he won on the Zoncolan, ahead of Contador, Nibali, Menchov and Scarponi. To repeat a stage win will be almost impossible if he is dedicated to Quintana . "It was the victory of my career, although it is the most sentimental in  Bilbao (in the Tour of Spain 2011). I have fond memories of the Giro. The atmosphere surrounding the race I like it better than the Tour, it feels like a more authentic and pure cycling. If the opportunity of course to try to take advantage of the srac is there I will take it, but I'm not there with that intention. I'll be satisfied if I can give my level and help the team in the mountains and select the group in the hard stages. And if he succeeds, I'll feel even better, " he says.

In fact, the victories in the Zoncolan and Bilbao are the last of his record. "Yes I think about it – he admits, of course I would still raise my arms, to have that glory, which is unique, even in a minor race. It's something that I want and that I'm excited o try and get, but it also haunts me. There are many ways to enjoy cycling without having to win although it is true that is what you want. The Giro will be difficult because my role changes and forces have to spend I might be required at other times. In Trentino had a small chance; however, that leap to win is the hardest. I've never been a rider that needed to win, I have not had that ambition or that need. I prefer to get the feel accomplished and provide what the team asks me every time," he explains.

It will be his third time in the Giro, debuted in 2005, his first first Grand Tour, and again in 2011. "The Giro is complicated, you should go step by step. There are hard days and very tough opponents, a good bunch of veterans who are not going to make it easy. We must remove the bad days and get good leverage. And always it has pitfalls we must always be careful, it's not like in the Tour that depends more on physical fitness, here also affects concentration," he says.

After the Giro d' Italia, the possibilities are wide on his calendar. "There are many options to do after Dauphiné or Switzerland or rest and prepare for the second part, depends on how we finish the Giro. 

What about the Vuelta?

“First you have to do well in the Giro because the Vuelta team is not weak. It's good and bad about this team that there is so much competition between riders, as in the Giro that he deserves any force to remain. Or maybe I could meet other races, such as Canada, it's something I feel like " Anton concluded.