Vincenzo Nibali to tackle Paris-Roubaix for first time in 2022
Italian is down to race all five monuments in 2022 for Astana-Qazaqstan
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Vincenzo Nibali will ride Paris-Roubaix for the first time in 2022, as part of an attempt to tackle all five monuments this season.
According to reports in Vélofuté and L'Equipe, the 37-year old is to race the 'Hell of the North' as part of a busy schedule that sees the Italian also return to the Tour of Flanders for the second time, as well as riding the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.
It will not be the first time Nibali has raced on the cobbles of Northern France, as he has tackled them as part of the Tour route before, most famously in 2014 when he finished third on the stage to Arenberg, cementing his position in the yellow jersey.
He put over two minutes into Alberto Contador that day, and Chris Froome, the defending champion, crashed out before the peloton had even reached the cobbles. Nibali is known as a good bike handler.
Back in October he told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "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."
It is expected Nibali will ride Roubaix for Astana-Qazaqstan alongside Gianni Moscon, who also moved to the Kazakh team this winter. Moscon finished fourth in October's edition of the race after puncturing and then crashing while in the lead.
He is not the only unlikely figure to be racing a cobbled classic this season, with Tadej Pogačar also down to ride the Tour of Flanders.
The Italian has form in the monuments, winning Il Lombardia twice, in 2015 and 2017, and Milan-San Remo in 2018. He has also finished on the podium of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race which suits his characteristics. He finished 24th on his one attempt at the Tour of Flanders in 2018, which he is also expected to be racing this year.
The 37-year old will race the Giro and then the Tour following his classics campaign but is unlikely to race for general classification at either of them.
Paris-Roubaix has been moved back a week in the calendar this season due to it clashing with France's presidential elections. This means it falls a fortnight after Flanders and just a week before Liège, which might be why Nibali is keen to ride it.
On Monday, race organisers ASO announced the teams that would be invited to both the men's and women's editions of Paris-Roubaix.
The 25 teams for the men's race include all WorldTeams, and the top three ranked ProTeams: Alpecin-Fenix, Arkéa-Samsic and TotalEnergies.
Four further teams have been given invites: French team B&B Hotels-KTM, Belgian teams Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB and Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise, and Norweigian team Uno-X Pro Cycling.
For the women's race, all WorldTeams have been invited, with the addition of high-ranked Continental teams Ceratizit-WNT, Parkhotel Valkenburg and Valcar-Travel & Service.
The other invited teams are the French squads Arkéa Pro Cycling Team, Cofidis Women Team, Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime and St Michel-Auber 93, along with British team Le Col Wahoo, and Dutch team NXTG by Experza and Belgian team Plantur-Pura.
Thank you for reading 10 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
Adam is Cycling Weekly’s senior news and feature writer – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing, speaking to people as varied as Demi Vollering to Philippe Gilbert. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
-
Power vs aerodynamics: what is the best balance and how can I achieve it?
Watts and aerodynamics are two cornerstones of our cycling performance - but favoring only one will see you going slower than a more balanced approach. Here’s our guide to better optimising your speed
By Andy Turner • Published
-
Even Wout van Aert can lose his nerve: Five things we learned from the CX World Championships
Even with the absence of Tom Pidcock on the world stage, British cyclo-cross is in a good place
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Mark Cavendish signs for Astana-Qazaqstan and will remain on the WorldTour for 2023
The transfer saga is over, Mark Cavendish has officially found a team, and will chase the Tour de France stage win record
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Is Mark Cavendish heading to Astana?
The Manx Missile has been heavily linked to Astana since the departure of their GC rider Miguel Ángel López
By Adam Hart • Published
-
Astana Qazaqstan drops Miguel Ángel López over 'probable' doping case links
The 28-year-old had extended his contract last month
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Vincenzo Nibali explains decision to retire
The Italian rider announced his retirement in his hometown of Messina at the end of stage five of the Giro d'Italia
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Winner Dylan van Baarle shares impressive Strava data from fastest-ever Paris-Roubaix
The Dutchman covered the 257.2km route in 5-37-00, winning with a powerful solo attack 19km from the finish line
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Is the Paris-Roubaix tubular dead? Why tubeless tyres are winning on the cobbles
The unique challenges of the Hell of the North place much emphasis on wheel selection. We talk to two teams and two wheel manufacturers about solving the problem that is Roubaix
By Luke Friend • Last updated
-
Public prosecutor's office opens judicial investigation into Astana Qazaqstan's license holder
Abacanto SA has held the WorldTour team's license since 2010, but is being charged with violations of the Luxembourg criminal code
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Vincenzo Nibali misses upcoming Ruta del Sol after testing positive for Covid-19
Astana-Qazaqstan shared on Twitter the Italian is currently "asymptomatic"
By Ryan Dabbs • Published