BUDAPEST (Hungary) – Sitting on a fabric chair on the sidelines of the MBH Bank-Csb-Telecom Fort presentation, Vincenzo Nibali presses our every question. The topic that kicks it all off is the participation of jonas vingegaard next Tour of ItalyThe Dane, twice yellow jersey in Paris, won his first Vuelta Espana in September and He arrives at the Corsa Rosa with the goal of the triple crown in his mind.An important guest seeking an ambitious goal.
Hungarians are a warm people, contrary to what many might think, and Vincenzo Nibali is the figure who collects many smiles and photos. Exporting our knowledge and our cycling is also this, not just a project like that Italian-Hungarian, but also the stories and characters that made him great.
The Eighth King
Vincenzo Nibali is metaphorically pulled by the jacket at all times, and After leaving him to the questions of the Hungarian television and colleagues, it's our turnBut this speech requires calm and concentration.
«vingegaard – Nibali immediately attacks as soon as the topic is brought up – comes from a victory like the one in the VueltaBeing at the Giro could give continuity to the result obtained in Spain. I think coming to Italy is the right choice, in addition to the fact that he could become the eighth rider to win the triple crown (Nibali was the seventh and won it thanks to his victory in the Tour de France in 2014, ed.)».
From a Tour de France perspective, do you think Vingegaard's choice was the right one?
Yup, emotionally and morally he arrives at the start of the Tour after having won two Grand Tours consecutively it could be interestingOf course, doing the Tour and the Vuelta, as he did last year, is very different from doing the Giro and the Tour.
It could pay off in direct comparison with pogacar?
Tadej does a very demanding package of races, the Classics, and that also takes a lot of energy. Not as much as a major stage race, true. But I think they will arrive at the Tour more or less on equal terms.Something like this, the Giro and Tour double, can be achieved in a much more scientific way thanks to training and recovery methods.
Over the years we've seen many riders try to do the Giro and Tour double, the latest being Pogacar himself…
True, in the past Contador, Froome, Dumoulin, even me, had tried. Personally I didn't like it very much, because after ten days on the Tour I would "explode"I couldn't stay focused for that long.
Is it just a question of concentration or could it also be a question of condition?
Even in condition, because even if in my mind I wanted to be there to compete I felt some differences on a physical levelMy legs were giving out on me. In the end, in those years, the Giro was my main seasonal goal, making sure that the Tour was also one was becoming very difficult.
So Vingegaard might not be 100% fit at the Giro, but will that be enough?
Could. But lately the Giro d'Italia has always had difficult starts.The next one, starting in Bulgaria, also features three challenging stages. Nothing too difficult, but definitely complicated. Once in Italy, we'll set off again with the Blockhaus and other tough stages. In short, it is a Giro that will force participants to be in good shape right from the startNow research and development in terms of training and supplementation allow us to work better, calculating everything.
There's no denying that the 3.500 kilometers of the Giro d'Italia could pose some challenges...
It's a very unpredictable race. It comes at a time of year when there can be very hot days alternating with cold onesThe uncertain weather increases the risk of racing on wet and unpredictable roads. And the asphalt of the Giro is not that of the Tour or the VueltaEvery stage race has its own “terrain”.
Could not knowing the roads be a problem? Are reconnaissance necessary?
Just to explore specific routes, such as dirt roads or cobblestones. Otherwise, just a few mountain passes. The best way to get used to it is to run on it..
Once the Giro is over, what could be the best approach to the Tour for Vingegaard?
Focus on recovery, if possible do it at high altitudeThis is because it helps you restore energy better and get good workouts without having to push yourself. It's about maintaining the condition, with shorter and more targeted workouts.
Could winning the Giro give the Dane a greater sense of self-confidence? Something that perhaps has been lacking in recent years...
In my opinion, every year we should go directly to the Tour it was a mistakeTaking an intermediate walk allows you to activate your body, break in your legs and your mind. Arriving at the start of the Grande Boucle with the pink jersey in your trophy cabinet gives you a great boost of confidence.Excuse the pun, but winning helps you win. It removes doubts, worries, tension. Paradoxically, perhaps less stress.
Then there's this long-distance challenge to be the first to win the triple crown.
I always believed that Pogacar would eventually go to the Vuelta to try to close the circle. If Vingegaard were to win it before the Slovenian, it would still be putting pressure on him.Sooner or later, Pogačar will try too, I don't know if it's better to win it sooner or later. If you do it early, you raise the bar; if you do it later, you risk stealing the show from the other.
But postponing increases the risk of having only one good season to try, right?
That's true. I think Pogačar might finish the Tour and then decide from there whether to continue aiming for the World Championships and Lombardy double or to compete in the Vuelta.
