Fabio Aru has played down any suggestions of tension and rivalry with Vincenzo Nibali after the Astana team confirmed that both Italians will target the Vuelta a Espana.
The third and final Grand Tour of the 2015 season had always been Aru’s major goal after the Giro d’Italia but he will now line-up alongside Nibali, who announced he will ride in Spain via Twitter on Friday. Mikel Landa –who finished third overall at the Giro d’Italia but who is set to join Team Sky for 2016, will also be part of the Astana quality line-up as the Kazakhstani team takes on Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and perhaps even Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Team Sky) in late August.
Aru has not raced since finishing second overall behind Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) at the Giro d’Italia but will make his return at the Tour of Poland that begins on Sunday in Warsaw.
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“There’s no risk of a rivalry. It’s better to have Vincenzo as a teammate. It’s the others who will have problems,” Aru suggested to Gazzetta dello Sport in a interview, refusing to reveal any anger that Nibali could affect his chances of winning the Vuelta after finishing fifth last year and winning two stages.
“We’ll be riding to do as well as possible, with one objective. The only rival missing is Alberto Contador and that’s good because I like a direct confrontation with my rivals.
The 2014 Vuelta was an important race for me. I didn’t know if I could handle two Grand Tours in a season and at such a high level but it made me stronger and more convinced of my ability.”
“I spoke to Vincenzo for a long time on the telephone on Thursday. He’s come out of the Tour in good form and his stage win has boosted his moral. He’ll do well at the Vuelta because he one of a few great riders in the peloton. We’re professionals, we know how to work responsibly and we know the rules in the team. We’ve got an excellent relationship even if we haven’t raced together for a long time, apart from the world championships, since the 2013 Giro d’Italia.”
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