Runner-up Quintana to skip Tour de France

Colombia's Nairo Quintana, runner-up at the 2013 Tour de France, says he will skip this year's race to focus on the Giro de Italia and Spanish Vuelta.

Last year's runner-up Nairo Quintana of Colombia says he is skipping the Tour de France this year to race in the Giro de Italia and the Spanish Vuelta.

Quintana told the internet portal of the Bogota newspaper El Tiempo he would leave the Tour de France for "other years".

He gave no other information but said the leader of the Movistar team at the Tour would be Alejandro Valverde.

Quintana was named the best male athlete in Colombia in 2013.