"I'd target the Giro in 2023 if I was Remco Evenepoel" - Vincenzo Nibali keen on Belgian's chances at Giro success

The 2023 Giro d'Italia route reveal yesterday has brought the spotlight back into Italy, and the brutal edition that is to come will be very attractive to the climbers and the GC riders. Vincenzo Nibali, who has now officially retired from pro cycling, has shared his thoughts on the upcoming race.

"I'd target the Giro in 2023 if I was Remco Evenepoel. He won the Vuelta and so a gradual development is the best way to go in Grand Tours," the veteran told Cyclingnews after the presentation, looking to lure in the big stars into the opening Grand Tour of the season. "It can be another important step in his development as a rider." Evenepoel and Quick-Step have hinted over the ongoing season that 2023 will likely see him return to the Giro, before a Tour de France debut in 2024.

Perhaps with some connections to the organization, Nibali has also mentioned some other riders who have been hinted to be at the race, in a bit to attract some stars over from the traditional Tour de France startlist. "Thomas could do something and even finish on the podium," Nibali predicted. "While the final mountain time trial suits Roglič and is near Slovenia. He could ride defensively before then and gain time on everyone," he continued.

Nibali, one of Italy's greatest ever, a two-time winner of the Giro and countless other massive titles throughout his career, will with no doubt be a major representative for the race. His win in the 2013 Tre Cime di Lavaredo stage was one for the history books, and the climb will be back on what some call the queen stage on the 19th day of the event, a colossal day in the Dolomites.

"The Giro has always been special for me, from discovering my first Giro as a young rider, to being a leader, winning twice and then finishing fourth this year, my last season as a professional," Nibali said.

"It's a great-looking Giro. It's well-balanced. The climbs start early in the south and then keep coming. The final time trial will be interesting and scary for the riders because they will almost certainly switch from time trial bikes to road bikes for the concrete road up to the finish," he commented, referring to Monte Lussari, which will be a new and terrifyingly steep ascent that will be part of the final mountain time-trial.

"I rode my last race last week and so I'm still looking at the route with the eyes of a rider. It feels like I've ended the season and I'm enjoying things. When the training camps start in December is perhaps the moment when I fully realise I've retired," he said of his own current experience. Nibali has been rumoured to have a role in the newly-funded team that former Qhubeka manager Doug Ryder is building, which could see a surprise wildcard for the upcoming Giro - of course, the chances are modest.

"You've got to be good in the first week but from the time trial in Romagna to the end are 11 hard days of racing. We're used to seeing riders gain time early in a Grand Tour but that could be risky at the 2023 Giro," the 37-year old analysed. "The time trial will create some important time gaps but then the stage to Crans-Montana is important and will make the GC much clearer. It's a chance for someone who is on form to gain even more time."

What most have referred to is the race's final week, which includes four high-mountain stages, all of them with summit finishes, a brutal ending to any race, but even more difficult off the back of a Grand Tour. "The final week is hard but the hierarchy amongst the GC riders will have emerged by then," Nibali said.

"Of course, it's the Giro and so there could always be a surprise like this year when Jai Hindley dropped Richard Carapaz on the last mountain stage and won the Giro. The final three stages were where someone can turn the Giro upside down but it's a big ask. I'm sure someone will try though," he concluded.