"After finishing third and second in the Giro the last two years, it would have been easier to aim for the Giro," Martinelli added. The Sicilian is expected to join a new World Tour team from Bahrain next year. The climbing specialist Aru won the Spanish Vuelta last year and at 25 is considered one of the future stars of the Tour. Having won the Tour in 2014, and as the holder of four Grand Tour victories, is Nibali really not considering a run at the general classification in France? "When we made this choice in November after the Tour presentation we knew it was the most difficult option for Fabio," Astana team director Giuseppe Martinelli said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 30, 2016 10:18 UTC