Colombia’s star rider Nairo Quintana nabbed his first victory in the Tour de France on Wednesday.
The climber from Boyaca proved to be too strong for his competitors during the 65-kilometer mountain stage of which 42 were uphill.
Quintana dealt a major blow to his main rival, Chris Froome from Britain, who finished one minute and 35 seconds after the Colombian.
Whether Quintana’s victory is enough to eventually secure a spot at the podium in Paris is uncertain; he currently stands fifth in the general classification and needs another minute to overtake his British rival.
Froome’s compatriot Geraint Thomas kept the yellow jersey and a three and a half minute advantage over Quintana, who couldn’t find his form until Wednesday’s mountain stage.
Quintana’s victory is the third for Colombia at this year’s Tour de France; sprinter Fernando Gaviria won two stages in the first week of racing.
