Antonio Nibali to join continental team Marchiol

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Antonio Nibali, Giro d'Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali's brother, will join the pro ranks next season. The 21-year old Italian is part of the new Italian continental team led by former Italian pro cyclist Mirco Lorenzetto [Astana, Lampre, Milram]. Nibali's biggest ambition is to follow in his brother's footsteps.

"But it's for sure that not all Nibalis are born a champion," he said earlier this year.

Nibali was part of the Mastromarco Chianti Sensi Benedetti amateur team since he left the junior ranks in 2011. The team creates a continental team for 2014 by the name Marchiol and also keeps its amateur team of 10 riders. Nibali is one of 12 young Italian riders to join the UCI continental team.

Antonio Nibali is a climber, just like his brother. He had several podium finishes in hilly stage races including a third place in an uphill time trial won by Winner Anacona. He was third in this year's Giro Ciclistico Pesche Nettarine di Romagna sharing the podium with Davide Formolo and Davide Villella, two riders who will be part of Cannondale next season.

Back in May, when his brother Vincenzo won the Giro d'Italia, the younger Nibali said that his biggest dream was to one day win the Giro d'Italia. "My dream is to achieve what my brother achieved. That means becoming a Giro d'Italia champion. Taking part in the Giro d'Italia alone would be a great victory," Biciciclismoweb reports.