Vincenzo Nibali changes plans and will skip Paris-Roubaix: "I'm working on a longer and hopefully higher peak for later in the season"

After his return to Astana Qazaqstan Team, Vincenzo Nibali set himself the goal of riding all five monuments, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France all in one season. Upon further inspection and discussion with the team, that will no longer be happening as the Italian is set to skip Paris-Roubaix.

"We talked about my race calendar for a long time with the Astana Qazaqstan management and the idea of riding all five monuments was really cool. However, after a detailed evaluation, we realised it wasn't possible if I also want to ride the Giro and Tour," he said, on an interview with Cyclingnews.

"I'd have to interrupt or even miss an altitude camp with the other riders, and maybe even miss Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It would have turned my training for the Giro upside down and so was just not worth it. We decided to focus on my strengths and to do the Giro and probably the Tour too. We agreed on that together and I've committed to it and what it entails," he added.

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Having his eyes set on both Grand Tours meant his plan couldn't go forward unless he was to sacrifice performance, the Sicilian doesn't think it's a worthy scenario. He has started his season off in the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana last week where he finished a modest 16th place, but most noticeably joined the breakaway on the final flat stage of the race: "It was a bit of a crazy attack, to test my legs in my first race of the season and to have a bit of fun,"

"We just went for it to see what happened. I was out of the GC, so I preferred to race hard rather than just finish the race in the peloton. It was also a good workout because we raced for 90km at over 47km/h. I can't remember the last time I did that. I was happy that my first race went pretty well. I've got some important goals ahead of me and I need to get ready for them. Some riders are already in form and looking lean after doing altitude camps and lots of intensity. I'm working on a longer and hopefully higher peak for later in the season," the Italian justified.

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He remains rather private on the ambitions he will carry into the racing season, not setting specific goals and rather let his legs do the talking: "Racing and good results are the end of the process. I think it's important to be focused and build the foundations of your season so you don't have any regrets. I don't want to say I want to win this race or finish on that podium, they're goals that are perhaps now out of my reach and out of my control, but I'm going to work hard and see what happens. I'm optimistic and enthusiastic."

Before tackling the Grand Tour double Nibali will be riding Milano-Sanremo, Tour des Flandres and Liège-Bastogne-Liège aswell nevertheless making it a very diverse schedule, with stints at Tirreno-Adriatico and Vuelta a Andalucia also outlined.