Nairo Quintana back in training two months after knee surgery

Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) has trained for the first time since he finished the Tour de France back in September, having also undergone knee surgery a month later.

The Colombian had surgery on both knees in October, with the operation resolving a cartilage problem. He posted several short Instagram video clips of himself on the bike in his home region of Boyacá on Wednesday afternoon.

Quintana injured his right knee after he was hit by a motorist while training for the Tour de France in July. He then injured his left knee after a crash on stage 13 of the race, where he finished 17th, having earlier abandoned the Critérium du Dauphiné on the final stage due to knee pain.

In October he explained the problem with his knees, saying: "In the end we've had to do a small surgical procedure on the two knees because the cartilage is damaged in two places."

"It was better to have a small operation so as to have a much quicker and safer recovery. A few days off the bike and I'll start on rehabilitation, so that next year I'm strong and it's a year of success for all of us."

Now, after over two months of rehab work, Quintana is finally back on the bike. 

The injuries and surgery compounded a disappointing end to a season which started well for the 30-year-old, who won the Tour de la Provence, Tour du Var, and the final stage of Paris-Nice before racing shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The end of the Tour was also soured by French police opening a doping investigation into Quintana and several other members of Arkéa-Samsic.

Police found saline and injection equipment but in the months since no charges have been brought and team manager Emmanuel Hubert said last month that there has been no further news on the investigation.