2015 Vuelta a Espana winner Fabio Aru (Astana)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabio Aru finishes Milano-Torino(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Fabio Aru waits to sign on at the Coppa Sabatini.(Image credit: Bettini)
Fabio Aru (Astana)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabio Aru resplendent in pink.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabio Aru (Astana) is likely to miss next year's Tour de France and, instead, target the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana in 2017 his coach Aleksandr Shefer told Gazzetta dello Sport.
Aru last rode the two Grand Tours in 2015 when he finished second at the Giro and went on to win the Vuelta, his first victory in a three-week stage race. Following the results, the Italian made his debut at this year's Tour de France with little success. After clawing his way to seventh place, a poor final mountain stage saw him slip to 13th overall.
Following the announcement of next year's Tour de France route earlier this week, Aru's teammate Jakob Fuglsang announced his intentions to have another crack at the race's general classification. Fuglsang finished seventh overall in the 2013 Tour de France.
"The Giro starts close to Fabio's home and this year's Tour was a bit of a disappointment for him so I think that he would like to go back to the Giro. Not that he wouldn't want to do to the Tour but I think he'll do the Giro," he told Cyclingnews at the time.
The route for the Giro d'Italia will be announced next Tuesday but it is already confirmed that the race will start in Aru's native Sardinia. Heading to the Italian Grand Tour will likely pit him against his soon to be former teammate, and defending champion, Vincenzo Nibali, who is set to ride for Bahrain-Merida in 2017.
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