Nibali lights up Tre Valli Varesine

Image 1 of 5

Vincenzo Nibali's run of form continued at Tre Valli Varesine Tuesday with the Italian proving he has overcome the broken ribs he sustained at the Vuelta a Espana. Despite the injury, Nibali was still able to finish second overall at the Spanish Grand Tour.

Fourth overall at the Giro della Toscana last week, the Bahrain-Merida rider was then second to teammate Giovanni Visconti at the Giro dell'Emilia as he builds towards Saturday's Il Lombardia.

The 2015 winner of Tre Valli Varesine, the same year he won Il Lombardia, forced the winning move in the closing kilometers of Tre Valli Varesine with Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) then Alexandre Geniez (AG2R La Mondiale)the only riders capable of following. While Nibali, who benefitted from the work of Visconti, suggested he would simply ride away to the win, a well-timed bike throw from Geniez saw the Frenchman claim the win in a photo finish.

"I wanted to make a good race in view of next Saturday at the Il Lombardia and I succeeded. A discreet result in a tough race with high-level athletes," Nibali said after finishing in third place. "The team's tactic was to try to attack during the last lap and so I went along with Thibaut Pinot. At 500 meters from the finish, Geniez came back and he was the fastest at the sprint."

Nibali will line out at Milano-Torino Thursday aiming to continue his autumn run of form and one final hit-out ahead of Il Lombardia. In 2015 when Nibali won the Italian title, it was on the finale of the Milano-Torino course at the Basilica of Superga. For the team sports director Alberto Volpi, Nibali's condition has him confident the Italian's first one-day race win since 2015 is around the corner.

"The team did a very good job and like usually Vincenzo showed his great qualities. The approach to the two next race classics continues and I want to say that everything is going well," said Volpi.