Vincenzo Nibali confirms Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double
Astana Qazaqstan outlines the grand tour calendars for its major GC captains, with Miguel Ángel López also racing the Giro-Tour double.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Vincenzo Nibali is setting a high bar for 2022, with Astana-Qazaqstan officials confirming the veteran Italian will race the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France next season.
The veteran Italian returns to the Kazakh-backed team next year, and officials Thursday outlined the calendar for the team’s major grand tour captains.
“Nibali will wear the Astana Qazaqstan jersey again at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana,” a team note read. “Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-Sanremo, and Tour of the Alps will make his road towards the Giro d’Italia, while later he may take part in the Tour de France.”
Also read: Nibali hasn’t give up on his grand tour dreams
Nibali, 37, won the Tour in 2014, and the Giro in 2013 and 2016, along with the Vuelta a España in 2010. Though he’s hit three grand tour podiums since his last grand tour victory, Nibali will aim for a return to the Giro podium next season after rough 2021 in his final season with Trek-Segafredo.
Astana Qazaqstan Team has determined the provisional racing program of the team leaders
📰👉Read more: https://t.co/POPl6N609h#AstanaQazaqstanTeam #newseason pic.twitter.com/cEnaoyG9bw
— Astana – Premier Tech (@AstanaPremTech) December 16, 2021
Nibali isn’t the only Astana Qazaqstan GC captain doubling up in 2022.
In fact, nearly all the major GC stars will race two grand tours next year.
Miguel Ángel López, who returns to Astana following a tumultuous season at Movistar that saw him quit the Vuelta on the penultimate stage, will co-lead at the Giro and also race the Tour.
David de la Cruz, who moves across from UAE Team Emirates, will lead at the Vuelta and also race the Giro.
Alexey Lutsenko is putting the Tour at the center of his calendar, team officials confirmed. Nibali, López, and Gianni Moscon, who joins from Ineos Grenadiers, will all race the Tour as well as put more focus on the northern classics following his strong showing at Paris-Roubaix.