Colombian climbing ace Nairo Quintana (Movistar) has competed in the Tour de France twice, in 2013 and 2015, finishing second overall on both occasions. As a result, aiming for the overall win is the logical next step for the diminutive Colombian. However, speaking to Spanish sports daily AS last week, Quintana insisted that winning the Grand Tour on French soil has not become an obsession for him.

“Winning the Tour is not an obsession for me. If I do my job well [and] get in top condition, and, once there, do not have bad luck, the result will come,” he said at the Tour de San Luis when discussing the matter with the Spanish newspaper.

Reflecting on last year’s race, Quintana acknowledged that he and his team made some crucial mistakes which prevented him from defeating Team Sky’s Chris Froome who was 1 minute and 12 seconds ahead of Quintana when the peloton reached Paris.

At 25 Quintana is likely to be a major Tour de France contender for the coming 7-8 years which could see him square off against Froome in the French mountains repeatedly over the coming years. Much has been made of the rivalry between the pair, but Quintana insists he has nothing but respect for the Team Sky captain.

“Froome is not an enemy, he is a rival,” he said. “On the bike there is a rivalry and that is normal, but we have never discussed it nor had any problem, even once we have understood the race. We say hello, but we do not talk much,” he said.

Quintana finished 3rd overall at the Tour de San Luis.