Movistar coach Mikel Zabala says that Nairo Quintana shouldn’t try and do the Giro-Tour double like Alberto Contador tried this year. In 2016, he aims for the Tour and Olympics, but a double attempt is perhaps on the Colombian's mind for 2017.

“We don’t know if it’s possible or not yet,” Mikel Zabala told VeloNews. “Physically you can’t be in the same fitness in both events, you could see that with Alberto Contador this year. There are so many good riders now, it’s not so easy to fight in both races.”

Zabala was speaking after 25 year old Quintana spoke to Colombian paper El Espectador about the chances of doing the double.

“I know it’s not easy, but you can. It is difficult and few did, but it’s a challenge that I have for the future and I’m going to try. Why not dream of winning two major tours? If I lose it’s news and they will say, ‘Nairo Quintana failed to win the two tours,’ but it’ll be something to talk about. At least I’ll try, there’s no doubt about it.”

Zabala says that attempting the double may mean that in the end, you fail tow in either as you are too tired for the Tour and not at as big a peak in performance as the riders who specifically target the Giro are.

“You’ll get strong people in the Giro, like Mikel Landa. If Landa just focuses on the Giro, it’s going to be difficult to beat him. You can try to do both, for sure, but it doesn’t come free. You use the strength you need for the Tour. If you don’t identify the main goals of the season you can do a double, a double mistake!”

If Quintana must do a double, Zabala is in favour of Tour-Vuelta, which Quintana placed 2-4 in this year even though he was sick in the latter.

“If your goal is the Tour de France, you still have the Vuelta a España to fall back on. But if you have a couple of peaks in form, then it’s not as good as it is when you just have one,” Zabala said. “We prefer to have one good peak of fitness instead of two. The second one is in the first one, you have been fighting hard then the second one is not going to be as good. Not just physical, but mentally. You get tired and you suffer a lot. In the end, you are not as good.”