Nairo Quintana confirms attempt at Giro/Tour double

Nairo Quintana has confirmed that he will ride both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in 2017, attempting to become the first man to win both races in the same year since Marco Pantani in 1998.

Movistar team manager Eusebio Unzué said in December that there was a chance that his start rider could attempt to win both the Giro and the Tour, something that the team has now confirmed

That will mean that Quintana will not return to the Vuelta a España to attempt to successfully defend his title from 2016.

Quintana has two Grand Tour wins to his name: last year's Vuelta, and the 2014 Giro d'Italia, the only time he has ridden in the Italian Grand Tour.

Watch: Essential guide to the Giro d'Italia

After winning the Giro in 2014, Quintana did not race in the Tour de France two months later, instead choosing to give himself a longer rest before tackling the Vuelta (where he finished fourth) in late August.

The Giro d'Italia start list is shaping up to be one of the strongest in years, with Quintana set to be joined on the start line in Sardinia by the likes of Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru, Tejay van Garderen, Stefan Kruijswijk, Bauke Mollema, and Geraint Thomas.

This year will be the 100th edition of the race, with a balanced route including more time trialling than in previous years.