Vincenzo Nibali promised to race with 'calma e sangue freddo' – 'cool and collected' in the string of five mountain stages that will reveal if the Sicilian, or anyone else, can take the lead of the Giro d'Italia from Tom Dumoulin.
Nibali faced a barrage of questions from the Italian media on the final rest day after a morning ride up the Presolana climb in the quiet Val Seriana. The Italian media and tifosi are desperate for at least a home stage winner and are used to seeing Nibali go on to win Grand Tours in the final week of the race.
Nibali remained calm and collected while in the spotlight, mixing blank stares and squints as he listened to questions and gathered his thoughts.
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Last year the rest day press conference in the Dolomites turned into an inquisition after a disastrous mountain time trial to Alpe di Siusi. Of course, Nibali managed to turn things around afterwards and when Steven Kruijswijk crashed in over the top of the Colle dell'Agnello, he gained time and then snatched the pink jersey from Esteban Chaves on the final mountain stage to Sant'Anna di Vinadio.
The Italian journalists wanted to know if Nibali can do it again for a third time, after losing time to Dumoulin in the Sagrantino time trial, to Nairo Quintana on the climb to Blockhaus, and to others on the fast finish up to Oropa.
After Sunday's stage to Bergamo, Nibali showed signs of defeatism. On Monday he insisted he was just being realistic.
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