Nibali opens the book of memories at the Festival. And he unveils the project for a new team

Vincenzo Nibali talks about himself at the Festival. The meeting with him was a real excursus on his career. And about the thought of him. Starting with his creed, the sum of his philosophy in the saddle. “When you are there, if you feel like it, you have to go, you have to try”. Without hesitation, ever. Maybe even in contravention of an order. Indeed, he was actually asked: Have you ever infringed on an order? “You feel like… Sometimes it went wrong and I paid the consequences. Others went well. I remember a Lombardy where I left much earlier than expected, in Villaguardia, and I didn’t do it. Well, if I had been under orders, perhaps now I would have an extra Lombardia ”. We are at the last dance, it is time to remember and take stock.

PINK MAGIC

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“Sometimes, while I’m watching TV, I take a look at the two Giro d’Italia trophies that I have there, displayed in plain sight. The Giro got under my skin as a child, with Gianni Bugno, with Claudio Chiappucci and then with Marco Pantani. Then my father was a super fan of Francesco Moser, and as a child I watched his tapes ”. Memories of Giro, therefore, and obviously of Tour, of the one won, triumphant, With 19 stages out of 21 in Yellow, 4 of which won. “I know how difficult it was. I know that it is not as certain say, that is, that I won because Chris Froome and Alberto Contador fell on the cobblestones ”. Vincenzo is one of the seven who have won all three of the big laps. “At the Vuelta the only thing I wanted was to win. But then, when I did, I didn’t quite realize what it meant. That’s where I began to be known, and I also began to collect some criticism. But from then on I started focusing on the big stage races, which was perfected with the arrival in Astana, a team basically built for me. Even though I have always felt free and carefree in the race. If they say I’m the champion next door, I think it’s true. But maybe it was also a bit of a limit ”. We went on for paintings, images, fragments of a career that marked a recent era of cycling. Sanremo 2018, for one thing, an incredible feat. “I was in Bahrain, and from the Astana car they teased me a bit. “See you on arrival”, I replied. I felt good, waiting for someone’s action to join me as a passive. Then I tried. And the roar of Sanremo was a consecration. With also the telephone calls of congratulations from Eddy Merckx and Felice Gimondi immediately after the arrival ”. In between there is also a question and answer. He was asked …

“I don’t know, it’s easier to recognize the flaws”.

“I’m stubborn, and I don’t listen to others very much.”

The best quality for a runner?

“Don’t back down”.

The best quality for a sports director?

“Knowing how to listen to the runner”.

The Champion you value most now?

“The Giro gave me the passion”.

“Sanremo is a spring World Cup, it gave me more satisfaction”.

“I have not. As a kid, I swam and cross-country ”.

Favorite subject at school?

“Physical education, then also law and economics”.

Greater satisfaction?

“When my daughter was born”.

What did you like as a child?

“Cars. But I wanted to become a cycling professional ”.

IN THE DUST

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In the calculation of his events, even the hardships had to be included. The bad moments. Three were chosen. Starting with the fall at Alpe d’Huez caused by the crowd. “It seemed like a trivial fall, but it gave me a lot of difficulties. I was late in preparing. The one who pulled me down was one of the most sober ”. And then Florence, the 2013 World Cup. “Slimy asphalt, I don’t even know how I slipped. I don’t remember passing over a white stripe. I don’t know, but it felt like running on soap ”. All his teammates were impressed by how strong Vincenzo was at that World Cup.

REGRET

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A tempting opportunity that has been lost. “For sure 2013 was my most important season. I had already finished second in the Vuelta. I was counting on that World Cup ”, confirmed Vincenzo. And again Rio 2016, the Olympics. A downhill fall, with a broken collarbone. “In the previous round there had already been falls in that spot, there were leaves on the ground. And the Olympic medal has vanished. Unfortunately in the national team I was unable to achieve results, I did not take medals. And that’s the only regret I have left ”. Cycling is a village that moves, so as the time to say goodbye approaches it is nice and right to rethink the important people in the group. “With some we have been very friends outside, maybe less on the track: Rodriguez, Valverde, Sagan. I have had great rivals, but perhaps no real enemies. With Contador and Froome there was a lot of rivalry, but also a lot of esteem. Once on the Tour, in 2015, Froome got angry because I attacked while he had a technical problem. But not a puncture, and I was far away. And then I was 7 ‘in the standings ”.

A definition for each, then. Alberto Contador.

“You could be attacked by him at any time. Very charismatic ”.

“The one I talked to the least, but it’s part of his character.”

“In the race we always gave him a good reason, especially in the Tour. But off the bike he is a great person, I have a lot of respect for him. And respect “.

And then a couple of friends, starting with Ivan Basso.

“He arrived at Liquigas and we young people were nervous. And instead he immediately presented himself well, like a sage. And it has brought new training techniques ”.

And poor Michele Scarponi could not be missing.

“It was what the others weren’t. He contained the good things that were in others. In the race he teased you. Out of the race it was a speck. But he was an adviser, a wise man, a true friend ”.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

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A sweet memory. After that there is nothing left but to talk about the future. Nibali has announced that there will be an important announcement shortly. “Next year there will be a new team, a project that I will be part of. We are in the planning stage, the sponsor will be Q36.5. I will not be a sporting director, not this one: it is a role that I do not feel mine. I see myself with a different imprint: as an ambassador, but close to the general manager ”.