Giro d’Italia triumph won’t change Nibali's Tour de France plans

Vincenzo Nibali’s maiden victory in the Giro d’Italia has confirmed his status as one of the world’s top stage racers, but the Italian said it won’t tempt him to line up at July’s Tour de France.

The Astana team leader, 28, secured his first ever victory in the three-week epic when he finished Sunday’s final stage into Brescia with a 4min 43sec lead on Colombian Rigoberto Uran of Team Sky.

Nibali, considered Italy’s best hope in the three-week Grand Tours as well as a symbol of the sport’s efforts to leave doping affairs of the past behind, pushed Bradley Wiggins all the way before finishing third overall as the Londoner triumphed.

Seeing Nibali line up alongside former winners like Wiggins (last year) and Spaniard Alberto Contador (2007, 2009), as well as Britain’s Chris Froome, the runner-up last year, would add extra spice to what is shaping up to be a thrilling ‘Grande Boucle’ in July.

But the lure of the race’s 100th edition, and Astana team manager Alexandre Vinokourov airing the idea on Saturday, won’t change Nibali’s mind to miss the June 29-July 21 race.

“We haven’t spoken about it. The Tour isn’t in my plans or even in my thoughts,” Nibali said after his victory atop the Tre Cime di Lavaredo in the Italian Dolomites virtually secured the pink jersey on Saturday’s 20th stage.