"I would go for a rotation" - Vincenzo Nibali backs up Tadej Pogacar's Grand Tour change proposal and goes further
Cycling
The proposal for a switch in the order of the Grand Tours is a topic that has been gaining popularity and traction recently. Whilst there are hard objections to it, including the Giro organizers which make it virtually impossible, there are many in agreement. Vincenzo Nibali not only believes it could work, but suggested a rotation of the Grand Tour dates.
Nibali was present at the Giro d'Italia's route presentation this 1st of December, taking the front of the stage in the route reveal. He is a legend of the Giro and is not only a representative, but an important part of the organization at this point.
After the show in Rome, he has further worked on the message of the Giro's economic impact and benefit to the regions where it goes through on the yearly. "The figures we saw at the forum show that we're no longer just talking about the sport or the athlete's performance, but what a Giro d'Italia, a Grand Tour, can contribute in terms of economic growth," the 'Shark of Messina' said in words to Marca.
"The Bike Economy, infrastructure improvements, cycling paths around cities and beyond them, crossing mountainous areas and green spaces, are part of an ecosystem that promotes more common mobility for everyone." Nibali, a legend of Italian cycling and the last rider of the country to win a Grand Tour - now 9 years ago - remains a past of the sport's history, and a vocal voice in the current topics that surround the sport.
Vingegaard's presence and potential calendar change
The topic of the 'big 3's' presence at the Giro is very much open and is one of the most interesting sub-plots of this off-season. Whilst not guaranteed, Jonas Vingegaard has heavily hinted at his debut in the Corsa Rosa in 2026, in order to complete the Triple Crown and work towards a bigger goal, as Tadej Pogacar has no intentions of giving up on a Tour de France presence.
Whilst the Slovenian seems certain to not return to the Corsa Rosa yet, the big question remains on Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian could aim for the Giro, or put in extra focus on the spring classics where debuts in races such as Milano-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders are on the table. Hence, with Evenepoel and Pogacar addressing the media this coming week, we should learn about their points of view.
But for Vingegaard, Nibali has a very clear vision, and believes it is an obvious choice. "It would be fantastic to see him next year at the Giro d'Italia. It's the last major race missing from his record and he would be the eighth rider to achieve the triple crow".
Vincenzo Nibali knows perfectly what its like to race in the snow at the Giro d'Italia. Hence, he understands the decision to switch its place in the calendar. @Sirotti
Recently in an interview, proposed with the idea, Tadej Pogacar agreed that a calendar switch between the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España would be logic: “I always say that if the Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta were swapped it would be much better, because of the weather conditions and because it would allow more riders to take part".
The Giro often has stages shortened or outright cancelled due to the snow in the Alps or the heavy rain conditions; whilst the Vuelta a España is often affected by heat waves. In 2024, temperatures soared into record numbers and several riders abandoned due to heat stroke.
However, no change will happen in the foreseeable future, as RCS Sport (organizers of the Giro) CEO Paolo Bellino has dismissed the idea of a change: “We're not even going to think about the idea. The Giro d'Italia has a traditional date in May and we don't want to change it. Every Grand Tour has its own history and importance, also thanks to its date in the calendar".
What is Nibali's view on this potential change? "The first Grand Tour of the year always has something special. The riders arrive with fresh legs and there is a lot of spectacle. It has always been that way," he sees it, so he understands the lack of desire for the Giro organizers to voluntarily change their schedule.
But the former pro proposes a different idea, consisting of switching up the order of the three Grand Tours including the Tour de France every year: "If it were up to me, I would go for a rotation of the three Grand Tours. It would make the season much more interesting."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
- I'm picking .... .... Never mind 🫥flyer07-11-2026
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