Vincenzo Nibali abandons Tour de France 2021
The Italian star is the latest to leave the race ahead of the Olympics


Vincenzo Nibali has abandoned the Tour de France 2021 on the second rest day.
Trek-Segafredo rider Nibali had been using the Tour to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics later this month, where he is targeting a medal in the road race with the Italian national team.
Nibali had already ridden the Giro d’Italia this season, where he wasn’t able to compete for the overall win, before targeting stages in the French Grand Tour.
Despite his aggressive racing, jumping into a number of breakaways during the Tour’s mountain stages, Nibali’s best result was 11th on stage 15 to Andorra la Vella.
But after that finish, the 36-year-old opted to pull out of the Tour ahead of the second rest day on Monday (July 12), to focus on the Olympic road race on Saturday, July 24, where he will compete alongside his Trek-Segafredo team-mate Giulio Ciccone.
Nibali said: “I raced a different Tour compared to my past experience, but similar to 2016 before Rio.
“The Tour is a boost for everyone; you can compare with the top in the world. I think it was the perfect way for me to reach the top form for Tokyo.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
“The feeling is good, but for a race like the Olympics, you need the entire team at the top. I’m sure my teammate Ciccone will be a key rider for the team.”
After making it into the elite 30-rider breakaway at the start of stage 15 Nibali, a winner of all three Grand Tours in his career, wasn’t able to match the pace of eventual winner Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), and had to settled for 11th place, 1-22 behind Kuss.
Nibali said: “It was hard all day, not just the finale, especially after the strong effort we made yesterday.
“In the finale, we tried to push hard, to set the pace high to make a selection. It was a way to control the race also. On the final climb there was no agreement in the breakaway, and it was just a personal confrontation among the best. I think it was a good day, we raced aggressively as the team has been doing since the beginning. Definitely, a last good test to leave the race.”
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
I went on a press trip for a $1399 bike - here's why that's a big deal
Van Rysel’s GRVL AF launch might be the most sensible I’ve ever attended
-
Easygoing and plenty capable, the Van Rysel GRVL AF 2 delivers on a $1,399 budget
The GRVL AF 2 is an affordable gravel bike that punches well above its weight—and looks good doing it
-
'Getting to Paris is like that moment you're told you're in remission' - Geoff Thomas to attempt Tour de France route for seventh time with Tour21
Former professional footballer Thomas getting set to tackle the 3,000 plus kilometre route to raise money for Cure Leukaemia
-
Brompton launch special edition bikes for Tour de France
'Leaders Yellow' and 'Sprinters light green' are the colour options for new C-Line and P-Line models
-
Mathieu van der Poel fractures wrist in MTB crash, puts summer of racing in doubt
Van der Poel diagnosed with minor avulsion fracture of the scaphoid bone after two crashes at MTB World Series event in Nové Město
-
Mark Cavendish is giving a free sprinting masterclass - here's how you can sign up
Tour de France legend to host meet-and-greet experience this July
-
'I feel pain in my sprinter's heart': Marcel Kittel reacts to Tour de France final stage shake-up in Paris
Retired German sprinting great says inclusion of cobbled climb to Montmartre before Champs-Élysées finish will be 'very stressful' and would leave him 'disappointed as a rider'
-
Will the sprinters make it to the Champs-Élysées? Tour de France 2025 final stage places Montmartre climb 6km from the finish
ASO confirms punchy race finale with three ascents of the Butte Montmartre
-
'They never once checked me for concussion' - Jonas Vingegaard calls out head injury protocol after Paris-Nice crash
Two-time Tour de France winner says he was 'completely dizzy and nauseous' in days after crash
-
'When everyone starts to panic, you just need to breathe deeply': Fearless approach key to success on Giro d’Italia gravel stage
Pello Bilbao expects Strade Bianche-style stage on Sunday to be both a physical and mental challenge