According to Team Astana’s head coach, Paolo Slongo, Vincenzo Nibali will be skipping this year’s Giro d’Italia, and instead tailor his 2015 race schedule around defending his Tour de France title.
The Italian rider will begin his season with the Dubai Tour on February 4, followed by the Tour of Oman, Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan – San Remo, the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, leading up to the precursor to the Tour – the Criterium de Dauphine.
In the meantime, Nibali will be building his start for the Dubai Tour, training with his team in Calpe, Spain.
Slongo said that he wants to avoid overexerting Nibali before the French Grand Tour.
“I’d like to go back and win , it’s a special race for me,” Nibali said back in November.
“It makes more sense, however, to race it the 2016 season.”
Following Milan-San Remo, Nibali plans to ease-off a little and focus on the Spring Classics with the Amstel Gold Race. The six-week period between Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Dauphiné will be his last ‘off’ period before his final amping up for the Tour de France.
Critics argued last year, that Nibali was not ready for the Tour ahead of Dauphiné. So, Slongo decided to cut January’s Tour de San Luis and the Tour de Romandie in April after the Ardennes Classics.
As a result, Slongo says Nibali is better poised to win in Oman, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Ardennes Classics ahead of the Tour.
Nibali’s schedule: 4-7 February, Dubai Tour 17-22 February, Tour of Oman 7 March, Strade Bianche 11-17 March, Tirreno-Adriatico 22 March, Milano-San Remo 19 April, Amstel Gold Race 22 April, La Flèche Wallonne 26 April, Liège-Bastogne-Liège 7-14 June, Critérium du Dauphiné 4-26 July, Tour de France
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