Should Astana reassess Nibali’s race program?

Vicenzo Nibali left Liquigas-Cannondale (now Cannondale Pro Cycling Team) partly because he was driven to win his home Tour – Giro d’Italia.  Astana offered him the team leadership and chance to wear the ‘Maglia Rosa’.  It was not surprising that Nibali jumped at the opportunity as the presence of team captain, Ivan Basso, at Liquigas- Cannondale was clearly inhibiting his chances. 

Nibali had the prefect race preparation for the Giro and was a strong favourite even with 2012 Tour de France winner, Bradley Wiggins, and 2012 Giro d’Italia winner, Ryder Hesjedal, vying for the same honours.  He won the key lead up race – the Giro del Trentino, his second major stage race for the season after winning the Tirreno-Adriatico in March.

It was therefore not surprising that as the riders rode into Brescia on the last stage, it was Nibali wearing the ‘Maglia Rosa’.  The opposition had no answer to him.  He won the Stage 18 individual time trial to Polsa and powered away from this opponents in appalling weather conditions during Stage 20.  He also would have won Stage 14, but for an informal agreement with Mauro Santambrigio to help him pierce the opposition and break loose from Evans.  It was an extraordinary performance by Nibali. 

Nibali lifting the Giro trophy

We understand that Nibali will now take a break before re-commencing training to have another tilt at the Vuelta a España.  Nibali deserves a rest.  He has already raced around 46 days in 2013, traversing the world from Argentina, to Oman, back to Italy, before heading to Belgium and back again. 

But after winning the Giro so convincingly, I am sure Nibali must be reconsidering his race program to attempt the Giro-Tour de France double – a feat that has not been achieved since 1998 when compatriot, Marco ‘il pirata’ Pantini won it.  

Under normal conditions, Giro-Tour de France double would probably be unattainable, but 2013 is different.  Snowfalls left the Gavia and Stelvio mountain passes un-raceable as the organisers cancelled Stage 19.   While first three climbs of Stage 20 - the Costalunga, San Pellegrino, and Giau – were removed as inclement weather conditions made them too dangerous to descend.  Nibali therefore escaped the most punishing mountain passes that would have totally drained his energy levels.  The other advantage that Nibali has over his rivals is he now has three weeks of racing in his legs.  Only Evans can match that race fitness and Wiggins/Hesjedal retiring and Froome/Contador choosing different race programs. 

Astana do not have many potential general classification winners in their squad for the Tour.  Nibali is healthy.  He is in good form.  Surely these are the two characteristics that form the basis of winning the Giro-Tour de France double.  He also has the backing of a strong team.  A team that is capable of matching Team Sky. 

Astana should allow Nibali to give the Giro-Tour double a crack and make him team captain. 

Nibali may just prove that it is possible to win the double in an era that is not drug fuelled like the 1990s.