Bahrain-Merida leader Vincenzo Nibali will line-up for his 21st Grand Tour in Bologna this week, chasing a third victory and a place in the history book as the oldest rider to ever win the Corsa Rosa. Yet, numbers, records and accolades appear to mean little to the 34-year-old Sicilian, even if the Giro d'Italia could prove to be a watershed moment in his 15-year career.
Nibali insists that he's still hungry for success, still motivated to train and race hard, and still believes he's competitive. But the question remains: is Nibali still the same Grand Tour force of old? Or will the next few weeks and a generational change in the peloton cruelly expose him simply as old and past his best?
"Twenty-one? Really? They're starting to add up..." Nibali jokes dismissively during an exclusive interview when Cyclingnews points out just how many Grand Tours starting this year's Giro will add up to.
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"Fortunately, I don't feel old and I still think I'm up for three weeks of hard racing. I've got a few extra wrinkles and a few grey hairs, but it's not time to put me out to grass just yet."
Nibali will turn 35 on November 20, and so could replace Fiorenzo Magni as the oldest ever Giro winner. He was expected to retire after the 2020 season, and a final shot at an Olympic gold medal at the road race in Tokyo, but in the midst of contract negotiations with Bahrain-Merida and his many other suitors, he's decided to race on, making 2021 his swansong season.
A request for a six-million-euro two-year deal and a breakdown in relations with senior management mean he is unlikely to stay at Bahrain-Merida, and a move to Trek-Segafredo is apparently all but done. The Italian coffee brand co-sponsor is ready to cover the extra costs of Nibali's salary and that of his entourage, so that Lo squalo dello stretto di Messina – 'The Messina-strait Shark' – ends his career in their red and black colours.
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You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/vincenzo-nibali-the-giro-ditalia-will-be-a-real-fight-but-thats-why-i-love-it
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