When a team has two Grand Tour leaders competing for the same prizes, it's natural for a bit of tension to arise between them, just see Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins at Team Sky for example.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Milan-San Remo, Vincenzo Nibali revealed that he's not the biggest fan of Astana teammate Fabio Aru.
Comparing him to another Italian leader that he rode with, Nibali said Aru was the complete opposite of Ivan Basso, who rode at the same Liquigas team that Nibali was at before joining Astana.
“I raced with Basso and I’ve noticed the difference between the two, there’s an abyss,” he said.
“Ivan was very open; you rarely saw him angry. Not because he was old but because he was wise. Fabio often gets upset and he’s short-tempered.
"At the time with Ivan I was young but I was different: I followed what Ivan did. Fabio never asks anything; he doesn’t consider you. He trusts other people, especially Paolo Tiralongo, who has raced with lots of different of leaders and has lots of experience.”
Nibali revealed that he will listen to offers this summer, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season. Nibali is one of the biggest names to hit the market this off-season, with proven Grand Tour pedigree.
“After the Giro d’Italia –where I think I’ve got a good chance of winning, it’ll be time to make a decision,” he said.
“It’s far more than a just a matter of economics. The most important thing is my group: my teammates, coach, soigneur, doctor, etc. The team’s project is also important if the team believes in me, there’s got to be total trust, without any question.”
Nibali revealed he has an offer from Trek-Segafredo, but says he's not sure if they really want him. He also has an offer from Lampre-Merida, as well as a potential collaboration with a team that could be set up by Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, a Bahrainian royal prince.
