Vincenzo Nibali played down his chances of a third Giro d'Italia title, refusing to say he is targeting victory due to a strong sense of superstition. Yet, as he fielded questions from the media on Wednesday afternoon, 'Lo Squalo' – The Shark – looked cool, collected, and ready to get on with the racing, even if the death of close friend Michele Scarponi has left a mark on his morale and a hint of sadness in his eyes.
Nibali took centre stage at a press conference organised in a luxury hotel on the Alghero seafront. He unveiled a new gold-plated Merida Scultura bike and sat patiently through a string of presentations about Bahrain as a tourist resort and business centre before talking about the Giro d'Italia.
"I think people know what my dream would be," he said when asked about his goal for the race.
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"In truth, I want to try to finish on the podium. It won't be easy but we've all worked hard to be at our best for the Giro. We know we face some big rivals – we're aware of that. The Giro is a long challenge; it's 21 days, with lots of unknowns. [Race director] Mauro Vegni has added something special this year that wasn't there before. It's harder than in recent years."
Some of the Italian media in the room were shocked that Nibali was not aiming for the maglia rosa.
"A place on the podium would be enough?" one asked.
Defying the odds
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