Nibali heads to the Dauphiné with uncertain prospects

With three Grand Tour's to his name you would think Vincenzo Nibali would be heading into the Critérium du Dauphiné as one of the established favourites ahead of the Tour de France but only he knows where his legs will take him.

Vincenzo Nibali will again assess his Tour de France form at the Critérium du Dauphiné (Getty) Source: Getty Images

So far the 30-year-old Astana team leader has ridden 4428km across 27 race days without a result, but this mirrors his Tour de France winning 2014 season almost exactly when his best performance was a 5th at the Tour de Romandie.

Nibali followed up Romandie by finishing seventh at the Dauphine last year and was able to use waht he learned there as a patform for his winning Tour ride.

“I remember the Dauphiné being a difficult race last year”, Nibali said. “But I also remembering it being good because it was the beginning of my racing resurrection and it let me understand where I still needed to improve ahead of the Tour de France that I went on to win.

“My ramping up programme for the Tour de France is going well, just like I want it to. I can't say that I will be 100 per cent fit on the Dauphiné, but I am satisfied with my current form. I am riding this race with one simple ambition, to give it all I've got.”

At the Dauphiné Nibali will be supported by Lars Boom (NED), Lieuwe Westra (NED), Andriy Grivko (UKR), Dimitri Gruzdev (KAZ), Michele Scarponi (ITA), Rein Taaramäe (EST), Alessandro Vanotti (ITA) and Jakob Fuglsang (DEN).

“A few of my team mates and I already know the Dutch, Belgian and northern French stages. On the Dauphiné there will be a team time trial that will allow us to get in synch. We will fight flat out because we are a strong and well organized team.”

2015 Critérium du Dauphiné course and streaming details

Sunday 7 June 

Stage 1: 132km, Ugine - Albertville

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 9.05pm - 11:00pm AEST

Monday 8 June 

Stage 2: 173km, Le Bourget-du-Lac - Parc des Oiseaux Villars-les-Dombes

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 9.40pm - 11:10pm AEST

Tuesday 9 June 

Stage 3: 24.5km, Roanne - Montagny (Team time trial)

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 9.25pm - 10:55pm AEST

Wednesday 10 June 

Stage 4: 228km, Anneyron - Porte de DrômArdèche - Sisteron

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 11.55pm - 1:25am AEST

Thursday 11 June 

Stage 5: 161km, Digne-les-Bains - Pra Loup

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 9.25pm - 10:55pm AEST

Friday 12 June

Stage 6: 183km, Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur - Villard-de-Lans - Vercors

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 9.25pm - 11:10pm AEST

Saturday 13 June 

Stage 7: 155km, Montmélian - Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc, Le Bettex

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 11.25pm - 0:55am AEST

Sunday 14 June 

Stage 8: 156.5km, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains - Modane Valfréjus

Livestream on the Cycling Central website from 11.35pm - 1:05am AEST