Nairo Quintana has finished E3 Harelbeke and Dwars door Vlaanderen this week, giving him key knowledge in how to ride the cobbles for the 2015 Tour de France.

“It was important for Nairo to race on the cobbles here this week,” Movistar sport director José Luis Jaimerena told VeloNews. “It’s one thing to see them, but it’s something else to ride them at race speed. What we want is to avoid surprises.”

While riding the cobbles at race pace, Quintana and his team went to preview the cobbles that will be used during the Tour de France so he can learn specifically about those too.

“We went to the pavé sectors that will be featured during the Tour, and we had a very good look at them,” Jaimerena continued. “It’s something new for Nairo. He’s never raced in such conditions, so it was important that we made some time to inspect the sectors and race here.”

“The first week of the Tour is going to be about not losing the race,” Jaimerena continued. “What you want to avoid is losing all options for victory in the first week. If we can get Nairo through the first half of the Tour in good shape, then we’ll see what happens in the mountains. What we want to do is avoid disaster, and deliver him in a position to take flight in the mountains.”

Jaimerena admitted that despite his good week, Quintana won't win Roubaix anytime soon, but he does think the Colombian will not lose time to the favourites during the Tour stage.

“One thing about Nairo, he fears nothing,” Jaimerena said. “Of course, he’ll never win Roubaix, but now he knows what to expect when the Tour comes in July. It will only give him more confidence.”