Nibali: La Planche des Belles Filles is the first test

Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) expects the Tour de France’s first mountaintop finish at La Planche des Belles Filles on Saturday to offer the first serious indications of the overall contenders’ form after an anxious opening week of racing.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.