With this season’s pre-Tour headlines belonging to Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), it seems last year’s Giro d’Italia winner and Vuelta a Espana runner-up Vincenzo Nibali has become a forgotten man. But ‘The Shark’ is still very much a threat and having clocked the miles earlier in the season proved he is coming back into form with fifth at the Tour de Romandie.
Nibali is yet to really contest for an overall placing, losing time on crucial stages at Paris-Nice and, indeed, in Romandie. A new father, it prompted rumours he was out of touch. But you should not write Nibali off. A two month break from competitive racing, after a packed early-season schedule, should leave Nibali relishing his return to action. With Jakob Fuglsang an equally capable competitor alongside him, expect Astana to be regulars at the head of the race in Dauphine.
