Vincenzo Nibali to Ride 2018 Tour and Skip Giro
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SPORTS Friday, December 15, 2017 23 Vincenzo Nibali to ride 2018 Tour Ronaldo poses and skip Giro Hvar, Croatia was largely down to sponsor ahrain-Merida leader commitments. Vincenzo Nibali has Team manager Brent Manamawith Brave title confirmedB that he will skip the Copeland explained that the ootball icon and one of the all time Cristiano Ronaldo with Giro d’Italia in order to focus team partners were keen on greats, Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest Ottman Azaitar on the Tour de France in 2018. Nibali riding the Tour next celebrityF to have showcased supporting The Italian did not ride the season and thanked his key Brave Combat Federation. Ronaldo had Tour last year during his debut general classification rider been closely associated with the Brave season at Bahrain-Merida, for acquiescing, despite the Combat Federation champion Ottman when he finished on the Giro travelling through his Azaitar. podium at both the Giro and homeland once again. Newly-crowned Brave Lightweight the Vuelta a España. “It hasn’t been an easy champion Ottman Azaitar is in Abu “The [Tour] route is quite decision, especially for Dhabi to watch the soccer World Club ‘nervous’ in comparison Vincenzo. The Giro d’Italia Cup and cheer for superstar Cristiano with previous editions, much goes through his home of Sicily Ronaldo. more suited to riders with my again,” said Copeland. Ottman presented his characteristics. It’s a route that “This programme has been championship title to Ronaldo will suit riders like [Romain] put together between team during the dinner party before Bardet and [Thibaut] Pinot, management, partners and Real Madrid faced Al Jazira in it has shorter time trials. It’s sponsors. It’s a project that the semifinals. a more varied route,” Nibali we’ve worked on since the Azaitar’s friendship with said at Bahrain-Merida’s beginning and the partners the Ballon D’Or winner was training camp in Hvar, Croatia have always asked us to work reflected during his last yesterday. towards the Giro d’Italia in the fight. While walking out “It was always the idea to ride first year of the project and to face Alejandro “Pato” the Giro in my first year with the Tour de France in the Martínez for the inaugural the team and the Tour in my second year. We’ve respected Brave Lightweight title at second, but the route has given this and we thank Vincenzo Brave 9: The Kingdom of Champions, the me extra motivation.” for respecting this. We believe Moroccan phenom wore his Cristiano’s Nibali’s decision to ride that it is a good Tour de France autographed Real Madrid shirt. the Tour de France in 2018 route.” (cyclingnews) And the jersey proved to be a good luck charm as Azaitar dominated the stand-up department against the Mexican grappler and showed improved jiu-jitsu defence to avoid submissions from his rival on his way to a third-round Knockout. “I wore his shirt during my walk-out for my title fight and promised that if I won the belt, I would dedicate it to the athlete I look up the most. My dear title is in the best hands now,” said Azaitar. I have not overstepped any boundaries: Chris Froome London hris Froome says he has not “overstepped any boundaries” after urine tests showed he had double theC permitted level of salbutamol in his blood after using an asthma inhaler at the Vuelta a Espana. Speaking to Sky Sports, the 32-year-old said: “It has come as a huge shock to me, but at the same time, I know that within me I have fundamentally followed the protocol.” He added: “I have not overstepped any boundaries.” However Froome admitted the test, which was taken after Stage 18 of the Vuelta a Espana, was damaging to his reputation. The comments followed a tweet by the Team Sky cyclist yesterday in which he wrote: “It’s sad seeing the misconceptions that are out there about athletes & salbutamol use. My hope is that this doesn’t prevent asthmatic athletes from using their inhalers in emergency situations for fear of being judged. It is Vincenzo Nibali (file pic) not something to be ashamed of.” Froome will be required to provide an explanation as to the finding or risks losing his Vuelta title. (eurosport) Chris Froome (file pic) .