Reduced race days for Nibali ahead of Tour

Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali will have only 30 race days in his legs when he embarks on his Tour title defence in Utrecht on 4 July.

The Astana rider's schedule, revealed by coach Paolo Slongo to Cycling Weekly, will see him significantly reduce his number of race days before the Tour de France.

In 2014 the 30-year-old Sicilian raced 45 days before the Grand Depart in Yorkshire, while that will be reduced by one third to just 30 this season.

Nibali's season will begin in early February at the Dubai Tour, followed by the Tour of Oman.

At Tirreno-Adriatico in March he is likely to meet Tour rivals Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo), Chris Froome (Sky) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar).

Nibali will contest Milan-San Remo before turning his attention towards Ardennes races - Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Missing from his schedule is the Giro d'Italia, ruling out any chance of a Giro-Tour double.

June will see him face his rivals in the Criterium du Dauphine, the traditional Tour warm-up race.

Between races Nibali will train at altitude and on Tenerife with his Astana Tour squad.

Vincenzo Nibali's race schedule:

4-7 February, Dubai Tour

17-22 February, Tour of Oman

7 March, Strade Bianche

11-17 March, Tirreno-Adriatico

22 March, Milano-San Remo

19 April, Amstel Gold Race

22 April, La Flèche Wallonne

26 April, Liège-Bastogne-Liège

7-14 June, Critérium du Dauphiné

4-26 July, Tour de France

SBS will broadcast the Spring Classics, and every stage of the Tour de France live.