The Giro d'Italia looks to be impossible to pass up for Vincenzo Nibali in 2011. The Liquigas talent is 100% behind a go at next May's Tour of Italy.
"I will go for the Giro. There is even a stage in Sicily the two climbs of Etna," said the winner of the Trofeo Melinda in a conversation with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The rider who hails from Sicily will start the race as a commanding favorite with a great chance at adding his second Grand Tour overall victory and second in a row, following his win at the Vuelta in September.
The visit to Sicily will be special for Nibali and one that is not all that common for the Giro. The rider from Messina can look back at a childhood of memories on the island and one notable trip up Mt. Etna as a child on a bike.
"When I was little, I rode up Mount Etna from the Linguaglossa side with my dad and a large group of bicycle tourists. I got really tired along the way and ended up being pulled to the top by a rope attached to mom's car. Of course, I was only ten years old at the time."
When Nibali takes to the slopes of Etna again next May, sixteen years after getting a tow from his mom, he'll be gunning for stage glory and a chance to lay the foundation for overall success two weeks later in Milano.
First though, the groundwork for 2011 must be laid, and the easy vacation time of fall and early winter will come to an end on December 9th when the Liquigas team gathers for the first time for a two week training camp in Sardinia.
"For me, 2011 is a new year. The odometer is reset and the same goes for the emotional and dream meters."
While Nibali has big hopes for himself in the coming year, he also hopes for general peace in his sport.
"I hope it will be a quiet year for cycling."
The Shark of the Strait echoes the sentiment of racers, fans, media, the whole world with those words, but he also wants more for the riders that are under suspicion. Nibali can't help but mention the plight, the lost year, of former teammate Franco Pellizotti when referring to how a rider is dealt with.
"I just hope that the sports justice system can move a little faster. You cannot just be kept from racing for a year and then be clear and have paid such a high price to no avail, as was the case with Franco Pellizotti."