Nairo Quintana says that he hopes his relaxed start to the 2016 season will give him the edge when it comes to beating all of his rivals to try and win his first Tour de France.

“I take it with calm. I’ve always said that if I work hard, I will be in good shape at the Tour. Let’s hope that bad luck doesn’t go with us, and as for the rest, I think, arriving there having worked well, the results will come,” the Movistar rider told a small group of journalists, including VeloNews, at January’s Tour de San Luis.

2016 is the year that Quintana says he will focus on doing good training to be in peak shape, rather than giving himself lots of race days. 

“My method of training has been good. You saw that the time I lost last year was because of an error or bad luck, not because of a lack of form,” he said. “So I think the preparation is good. What I do want to plan is the type of races, to be able to reach the Tour not so saturated with racing, but with good training.”

Following San Luis and his national road race, Quintana’s next appointment is the Volta a Catalunya. From there he is likely to be in Romandie and then one of Dauphine, Suisse or Route du Sud. He says he is going to try and win in Catalunya.

“I have always liked the Volta a Catalunya,” Quintana said. “Something has always happened — I’ve lost my place on the podium on the last day, and I’d like to try again. It’s a race I like very much. I’ve also got a very nice stage win that I remember there. Why not try again?”