Nibali wins Trofeo Melinda, looks to Vuelta
Sicilian cyclist Vincenzo Nibali won the Trofeo Melinda, a one-day race, and earned himself a place on the Italian national team for the UCI Road World Championships in Geelong and Melbourne, Australia at the end of September. Among the spectators was Paolo Bettini, the coach for the Italian national team, who has been openly critical of the performances of other Italian riders in the three one-day Italian races last week. He was significantly more positive after Saturday’s race.
“I have no negative remarks in my notebook, I enjoyed it,” said Bettini. “You only have to look at Vincenzo’s results, as well as his shape and performances to realize how reliable he is by now.”
Nibali, for Team Liquigas-Doimo, started the race as a favourite and finished ahead of Vladislav Borisov and Giovanni Visconti. The hilly race has only 43 winners, and many abandonments including Ivan Basso, this year’s Giro d’Italia winner. It was Nibali’s sixth win this season
“I won with my legs and with my head,” Nibali explained. “My teammates were fantastic in bringing back the breakaway and I didn’t want their work to be in vain. In the finale I brought back Pozzovivo and Visconti, and then I went early to surprise Borisov. I knew I only had one chance and I didn’t waste it. I’ve gained more faith in my own potential, as well as the knowledge that I can compete with everybody.”
The Sicilian is now targeting the three-week Vuelta a España, which begins Saturday in Sevilla. The 25-year-old will enter the Grand Tour as a favourite, with a stage win podium finish in the Giro, the first Grand Tour of the season, and a victory at the Tour of Slovenia this year.
"The change came in 2009, my seventh place at the Tour de France last year finally made me understand that I am at the level of the strongest," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "It gave me security, and, in respect to the past, I make fewer mistakes. The results are confirming this, but there is still room for improvements. Of course, I am still only 25 years old."
He sat out of the Tour de France, opting instead to support Basso in the Giro and make a bid at the Vuelta, where he will co-captain the team with Roman Kreuziger, who will be switching to team Astana at the end of the season, while Nibali will be staying with Liquigas for at least two more years.
"In Spain, it will be sort of a new situation for me racing as a leader. It will be a little improvisation for me as I do not know the course that well... Who says that's not a good thing?"
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