'Shark' wins Tour
July 27, 2014
It is the greatest moment of his career: the victory ride along the Champs Elysees in Paris in the winner's yellow jersey. Vincenzo Nibali has been in top form over the past three weeks, culminating in the first Italian Tour victory in 16 years - perhaps not as spectacularly as his late predecessor, Marco Pantani, but with an impressive dominance. "I think the secret is to ride intelligently and to stay calm. Ivan Basso taught me this," Nibali said in an interview during the tour.
The 29-year-old is regarded as a strong all-rounder. While a good climber, he's not an expert, but a great fighter who can keep up with the specialists in the high mountains. He once likened his riding style to a clock - steady and predictable.
Nibali is one of the best descenders in the world and has also improved enormously over the course of his career in the time trials. His biggest successes have been his overall victories at the 2010 Vuelta and the Giro d'Italia 2013.
Self-built bike
Nibali was born in Messina in north-eastern Sicily - hence his nickname "Shark of the Strait." He began his career on a racing bike he built himself. His first successes came in 2002 as a junior champion in road racing and third place in the Junior World Time Trial Championships.
After he turned pro and joined the Fasso Barolo team in 2005, Nibali came in second overall at the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi-Bartali race and placed a surprising second in a stage of the Tour de Suisse.
Wearing the jersey of the Liquigas-Bianchi team, the young rider scored several notable achievements: In his first Giro d'Italia in 2007, he won the team time trial on the first day of the race in Sardinia and was second overall in the Tour of Slovenia.
In his first Tour de France a year later, he showed promise but went home empty-handed: Nibali was able to celebrate a respectable 20th place on the Champs-Elysees but had to settle for third place in the battle for the white jersey of the best young rider.
A top contender since 2010
The Sicilian joined the ranks of the cycling elite in 2010, when he won the overall classification at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina in the spring and came third in the overall standings at the Giro. In his Vuelta debut he was even crowned the overall winner. Nibali told the German newspaper "Die Welt": "A childhood dream has come true. I have now joined the small circle of winners at the Grand Tours."
A year later, he missed the title defense at the Giro and initially finished third. But when his mentor Alberto Contador was stripped of his title after a drugs test from the Tour de France tested positive, Nibali moved up to second.
After a three-year absence, he rejoined the Tour de France as one of the favorites, finishing third. Despite a massive salary increase, his Liquigas-Bianchi team was unable to hold onto him, and since 2013 he has ridden for the Kazakh team Astana.
Wearing an Astana jersey, Nibali celebrated his biggest success to date in May 2013 at home, as he dominated the Giro d'Italia and won the tour. He also finished second on points and in the mountain evaluation. "Italian cycling finally has the champion we have been looking for," newspaper "Gazetto dello Sport" gushed.
But he missed the Tour de France again, and, after a fierce battle with the nearly 42-year-old American Chris Horner, Nibali came second in the Vuelta.
Back at the Tour de France this year, he has benefited from Contador's absence - and that of the previous year's winner Chris Froome, who had to retire. So he had a simple game in the mountains and left his competition behind with ease.
Nibali's commanding presence secured his overall victory. His win has caused great rejoicing in his homeland - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has already invited him to the Palazzo Chigi.