Vincenzo Nibali to be Liquigas-Cannondale captain at Italian Tour
The question over whether Liquigas-Cannondale will be able to accommodate both of its Grand Tour captains next year appears to have been settled. Ivan Basso, the winner this year’s Giro d’Italia, has bowed to his younger teammate Vincenzo Nibali, the winner of this year’s Vuelta a España over which of them will lead in their home race. Instead of aiming to defend his title, and take a third victory in the Corsa Rosa, Basso will be concentrating his season around an attempt at a first Tour de France victory.
“If I won the Giro again I’d be in the records on the list of triple winners,” Basso told la Gazzetta dello Sport, “but a victory in the Tour would help to put those two Giro titles into perspective. If I concentrate on the Giro then I think I’d be failing my fans.”
The last time Basso made a serious attempt at the Tour de France was in 2005, when he finished second to Lance Armstrong in his record seventh victory; he had finished third the year before behind Andreas Klöden. He was poised to take the race by storm in 2006, following his domination of that year’s Giro d’Italia, but was pulled from the race after his name was implicated in Operacion Puerto.
He rode the race this year but was obviously tired from his Giro exploits and finished way off the pace in 32nd place. Next year though, he plans to start the French race fresher, having left the fight for the Giro d’Italia to Nibali.
Nibali finished third in this year’s Giro, just 2’37” behind Basso; he wore the pink jersey in the early stages, after Liquigas-Doimo won the team time trial, and also won the 14th stage to Asolo, which finished with the tough climb and fast descent of the legendary Monte Grappa.
Despite Basso proving to be the stronger rider over the three weeks, there were periods in the early stages where Nibali appeared to be waiting for his captain. This time around Basso sincerely believes that the 26-year-old Sicilian can go all the way.
“Vincenzo Nibali has really evolved,” he explained, “he is no longer a little kid. I think he can win the Giro.”
Basso and Nibali will get the first chance to discuss their plans next week at the team’s first get together in San Pelligrino, in the Dolomite mountains of north east Italy.