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Two-time Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali has said that modern cycling is “all about watts and data”, with less emphasis on tactics and racecraft than there was during his racing career.
The Italian, speaking to Spanish paper Marca, gave his opinion on modern cycling as well as the ongoing Giro d’Italia, which started in Albania on Friday.
During his career, Nibali racked up wins at the Giro (twice, in 2013 and 2016) as well as the Tour de France and Vuelta a España by marrying power and endurance with a canny and intelligent racing style, something he thinks has fallen by the wayside in recent years.
“It’s the same thing. The new Contador, the new Nibali… Soon there will be new Contadors or ‘Sharks’, but cycling has changed,” Nibali said, reflecting on his own racing career.
“Now it’s all about watts and data. Before, there was more race reading. Tadej Pogačar attacks at 100km, and that’s impressive, but in my time, intelligence on the bike was also highly valued.
“I’m not saying it’s better or worse, it’s just different. I liked the strategy more, playing with the rivals. There was room for improvisation. Today, everything is measured.”
Nibali, who retired from racing at the end of the 2022 season and now holds an ambassador position with the Giro, also gave his perspective on this year’s race.
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Mads Pedersen is in the maglia rosa after two stage wins in three days, while Primož Roglič, having taken second in the stage 2 time trial, is the best-placed GC contender, lying second overall at nine seconds off the Dane.
Nibali said that the race looks “exciting”, but didn’t give too much away on his thoughts about the favourites. He does, however, rate home favourite Giulio Ciccone’s chances of a high result.
“The Giro looks exciting. Roglič comes with experience and ambition. Ayuso is young but has impressive class,” Nibali said.
“Ciccone is coming from a win and is in a great moment. Podium chances? It won’t be easy, but he looks good.”
Nibali was also impressed with the wages flowing to the riders in modern cycling, calling it a “Serie A sport” after the top division of Italian football.
The sport is “much more attractive than before” to sponsors and outside money, he said, while noting that trying to crack the USA again could be the next goal in the worldwide expansion.
“It’s good that they earn well now. €4 or 5 million a year… It’s good because cycling is not a second-rate sport. It has reached a very high level and we have all deserved it: riders, teams and fans. Cycling is now a Serie A sport,” Nibali said.
“I don’t know what will happen [with One Cycling], but cycling is now much more attractive than before. There is interest in Europe and abroad. I think the next frontier could be America. It would be very interesting to go back there, with big events.”
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