Vincenzo Nibali eyes the Giro d’Italia 2013 podium
New Team Astana leader, Vincenzo Nibali has noted that he would not settle for anything less than a first podium spot at the Giro d’Italia 2012.
The cyclist had a superb 2012 season and received several offers from different cycling teams, as he decided to pledge his future with the Kazakhstani side, Team Astana for the season ahead.
While talking about his new team he noted during a recent interview with Cyclingnews, “I had a lot of good offers”.
“The offer from Liquigas was very close in economic terms to that of Astana. However the idea of starting a new adventure really attracted me and so did the idea of having a team all for me and being the sole team leader”.
The Italian marked his professional debut with Team Fassa Bortolo in 2005 and left the team after spending one year with the side.
He accepted an offer from Team Liquigas in 2006 and spent most of his professional time with the side, a total number of seven years.
Some of his top performances in the 2012 season include overall victories, point’s classifications and stage wins at the Tirreno-Adriatico and the Giro di Padania. He succeeded during the second stage of the Tour of Oman along with a stage 5 win at the race.
The 28-year-old finished second at the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and third at the Milan-San Remo 2012 but his best performance of the 2012 season came at the French Grand Tour.
Nibali occupied the third podium position at the Tour de France after the strong Team Sky claimed the first and the second position with the help of Bradley Wiggins and Christopher Froome.
Wiggins has decided to ride the Giro d’Italia in the coming season and will skip the Tour de France which will give Froome a chance to have a go at the overall title.
Also, Wiggins will be riding the Giro without Froome which will make Vincenzo’s job of securing the top spot lot easier.
While talking about his chances at the Italian Grand Tour he cited, “It'll be difficult but we'll see what happens. It'll be a good fight, that's for sure”.
“The climbs at the Tour de France are longer, while the climbers at the Giro d'Italia are harder and more difficult. That changes everything….”
Vincenzo has not yet decided about his 2013 racing plan, but one race that he awaits is his home Grand Tour and he is 100 % sure not only to ride it but to occupy the top podium position in front of the home audience.
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