Nairo Quintana (Movistar) gained time on most of his key rivals in yesterday's Giro d'Italia stage to Montecampione but the Movistar captain failed to take his first stage win of the race. Despite being pleased with his gradual progress, the Colombian admitted that stage winner Fabio Aru had been the strongest.

Still not in his best condition, splurging on lots of patience and regularity, Nairo Quintana keeps making up ground in the 2014 Giro d'Italia against his main rivals after terrain lost in the last two weeks of racing. The Colombian rider from the Movistar Team finished 3rd on top of Plan di Montecampione (Cat-1), only climb of a long stage fifteen, over 225km practically flat from the start in Valdengo.

The Colombian was fully backed by the telephone squad during a long procession leading up to the final 19k uphill. José Herrada was the man to help Quintana out on the ascent, pushing briefly at the front of the group and only dropping halfway through, with just 13 riders still in, including all the main favourites. The attacks by Arredondo (TFR) and Deignan (SKY) in search for a decimated, original break of twelve preceded a first significant move from GC leader Urán (OPQ), which Quintana shut down, and a second move by Rolland (EUC), which did not find immediate response by the GC candidates. However, a late move by Aru (AST), followed by Urán and which Quintana lost sight of by following Cadel Evans (BMC) forced the man from Boyacá to tackle the last 3km with extreme caution.

Quintana attacked, reached Urán again - later dropping him - as well as compatriot Duarte (COL), got to the wheel of Rolland and was close to materializing a full comeback with another move with 600m to go, countered by Duarte as the Colombian duo came across the finish with a 23-second deficit to Aru, 19" ahead of Urán. The time bonus means that Quintana is 2'40" behind the maglia rosa, 5th overall and just 50" off the podium, before Monday's third, last rest day. Gavia (Cat-1), Stelvio (Cima Coppi) and Val Martello (Cat-1) will get the Giro back into action with a real tappone.

"For the second day in a row, I took some time back in the overall standing," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "It was not enought to make up for my previous losses but it is enought to make me optimistic and confident ahead of the next mountain stages.

"Like in Oropa, my plan was to stay with the best and then see if I could take advantage of the situation. Aru was stronger than me. I recovered and then attacked. There is still plenty of time to win the Giro."