Nibali to target the Tour de France in 2014

Vincenzo Nibali has confirmed that he will not ride this year's Tour de France but will target the yellow jersey in 2014.

Nibali finished third in last year's Tour de France behind Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome while riding for the Liquigas team. He joined Astana this year and opted to target the Giro d'Italia, triumphing in Brescia on Sunday after dominating the race and wearing the pink jersey for 13 days.

Team manager Alexandre Vinokourov would have liked Nibali to ride the Tour de France this year but the Sicilian rider has pushed back against any pressure, preferring to ride the Vuelta a Espana and target the world road race championships in Florence.

"In 2014 I'll target the Tour," Nibali confirmed to Gazzetta dello Sport while posing for photographs with his wife Rachele.

"It's a race that made me well known even in far away places like Australia. It's a special race for me. In 2009, when I was seventh, I realised that I could become the rider I am today."

Nibali will enjoy a holiday next week and is likely to take a break from racing until the end of July, beginning the second part of his season and preparation for the Vuelta at the Tour of Poland that starts in the Italian Dolomites on July 27.

He could then ride the Vuelta a Burgos (August 7-11) before the Vuelta a Espana begins on August 24.

Nibali is expected to lead the Italian team at the world championships and has already studied the hilly course around the Renaissance city. The Elite men's road race will be held on Sunday September 29.
 

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