Vincenzo Nibali will retire from cycling at the end of this year. The 37-year-old Italian announced his retirement on Wednesday after the fifth stage in the Giro d’Italia.
“I deliberately waited until this stage to announce my decision,” Nibali said after finishing in his hometown of Messina. “This was where I started training and cycling. So I think this is a good time to announce that I’m going to retire at the end of this year.”
Nibali is one of the most successful riders of his generation. In 2014 he won the Tour de France, in 2013 and 2016 he won the Giro d’Italia and in 2010 he was the strongest in the Vuelta a España. He is one of seven riders to have won all three Grand Tours.
In total, Nibali was on the podium of a Grand Tour eleven times. He also won the cycling monuments Tour of Lombardy (2015 and 2017) and Milan-San Remo (2018).
Vincenzo Nibali won the Tour de France in 2014.
Vincenzo Nibali won the Tour de France in 2014. Photo: AFP
Nibali had greatest successes at Astana
Nibali started his cycling career in 2005 with the Italian Fassa Bortolo. The following year he made the switch to Liquigas, where he drove until 2012. In 2013, ‘The Shark of Messina’ was attracted to Astana. There he experienced his greatest successes with his Tour win and two overall victories in the Giro.
Since 2017, the classification rider has ridden for Bahrain Merida, for which he finished second and third in the Giro and second in the Vuelta. In 2020 he made the switch to Trek-Segafredo, to return to Astana early this year.
In recent years, Nibali has hardly achieved any success, so his announced farewell did not come as a surprise. He hasn’t won a race since moving to Trek-Segafredo.
In this year’s Giro, Nibali has a free role. The Italian came in at a great disadvantage in the first mountain stage on Tuesday and therefore dropped out of the top of the standings.