Nibali: "I would like Scarponi next to me on the Zoncolan"

At the presentation of the 2018 Giro d’Italia, Vincenzo Nibali, ready to face the new season with the jersey – as captain – of Team Bahrain-Merida.

The ‘Shark of the Strait’ gloats because of the route: after the first stages in the land of Israel, the pink caravan will land in his Sicily. “Racing at home is a very beautiful thing because the public does nothing but cheer you on in every possible way. The warmth of the people makes it unique and special, hard to explain. The Sicilian stages are in the parts of the island I know the least. I have never climbed Mount Etna from the side of the Observatory,” he said.

Highly moving was the thought that Nibali then addressed to the late Michele Scarponi, his teammate and domestique – as well as a great friend – at Astana: “If I think of Michele Scarponi, I can’t help but have a smile. Even now I miss him. It would have been nice to have him next to me on Mount Zoncolan. I fought with Contador the last time I did it. Very tough stage.”

The closing, however, could only be for what will be the great rival, the most anticipated: Chris Froome, finally on the roads of the Peninsula: “I know Froome well, I challenged him at the Vuelta a few months ago. Not only him but his whole team, really very strong, will be tough to beat.”