Vincenzo Nibali has suggested that he could make his Paris-Roubaix debut and ride all five Monuments in 2022.
The Italian, who has re-joined Astana from Trek-Segafredo, also hinted that he is likely to race the Giro d’Italia given the probability of stages in his native Sicily on next year’s route.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Nibali said that he planned to return to the Tour of Flanders, where he had an impressive cameo in 2018, and that he was also entertaining the idea of racing alongside new teammate Gianni Moscon at Paris-Roubaix the following week.
"I’d like to try the Tour of Flanders again. I’ve only raced it once but it took my heart," Nibali told La Gazzetta.
"I’ve never done Paris-Roubaix, this could be the right time. Sure, it’s a risk, it’s a race that has to be prepared in fine detail, but you need to do it at least once in your life. All the more so with a Moscon like this, he’ll need support."
The route of the 2022 Giro will be unveiled next month. RCS Sport has already confirmed that the Giro will start abroad – almost certainly in Budapest – and it has been rumoured that the race’s first Italian stages will be in Sicily.
"I seem to understand there will be some stages in Sicily. I’d really like that, yes," NIbali said. "In my heart, I still have that win in the Giro di Sicilia in early October in front of my people, my cousins, my childhood friends. It would be nice to do that again."
Nibali previously rode for Astana between 2013 and 2016, winning the Giro twice and the 2014 Tour de France, before leaving for the nascent Bahrain squad in 2017. He has signed a one-year contract with the Kazakhstani team for 2022, though he declined to confirm that it would be his final season in the professional peloton.
"I simply want to enjoy myself. When I’m not enjoying myself anymore, it will be the moment to stop," said Nibali, who said that he had signed for one year "so as not to take the future for granted".
He added: "Sometimes growing up is bad, it’s easier to remain a child and I’m someone who is still playing. But we all have to become adults. I just want to live this year without thoughts."
Nibali’s only success during his tenure at Trek-Segafredo came when he won the final stage and the overall at the Giro di Sicilia this month.
Asked what was missing during his two-year spell at the team, he said: "I don’t know even myself what was missing. Many things. It’s early to talk about it, there isn’t enough distance."
