Nibali ready for ‘intense’ Giro in 2016
Former champion Vincenzo Nibali said he will expect an “intense” Giro d’Italia in 2016 but left doubts over his participation as organisers unveiled details of next year’s race in Milan.
Starting in Apeldoorn on May 6, the Netherlands, the 10th edition of the three-week race has something for everyone with three individual timetrials, a handful of sprinters’ stages and enough mountain climbing to keep the suspense going until the penultimate stage before the race finishes in Turin on May 29.
Astana leader Nibali has not raced the Giro since his impressive triumph in the snow-hit edition in 2013, and although doubts remain over his future participation, the Italian gave an indication that next year’s race could tempt him back.
“It looks like an intense edition,” said Nibali, fresh from winning his maiden Tour of Lombardy, the final ‘monument’ of the one-day classics season, on Sunday.
“It also has three time-trials that are likely to play a role in the final standings, as well as some tough mountain climbs. I like it.”
With next year’s Tour de France as well as the Rio Olympics expected to be on Nibali’s agenda, the Italian added: “The thought of returning to the Giro is there, but it’s still too early to make a decision yet.”
Held over 21 stages from May 6-29, next year’s race totals 3 383km and features six mountaintop or uphill finishes.
After the opening time trial of 9.8km in Apeldoorn and two further, flat stages in the Netherlands that favour the sprinters, the peloton transfers to the ‘sole’ of the Italian peninsula where hostilities resume on stage four at Catanzaro, considered a ‘mediummountain’ stage.