Vincenzo Nibali facts for kids

Vincenzo Nibali is a famous Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was born on November 14, 1984. He raced professionally from 2005 to 2022.

Vincenzo is one of only seven cyclists in history to win all three of cycling's biggest races. These are called the Grand Tours. He won the 2010 Vuelta a España, the 2013 Giro d'Italia, the 2014 Tour de France, and the 2016 Giro d'Italia.

Because he was born near the Strait of Messina, his nickname is "The Shark of Messina" or simply "The Shark." He is known for being great at riding downhill and handling his bike. He is also a very strong climber and good at time trials. This makes him an "all-rounder," meaning he's good at many different types of races. He is considered one of the best stage race riders of his time.

Besides Grand Tours, Nibali also won important one-day races called "Monuments." These include the Giro di Lombardia twice (in 2015 and 2017) and the 2018 Milan–San Remo. He also won the Italian National Road Race Championships in 2014 and 2015.

Early Life and Becoming a Cyclist

Vincenzo Nibali was born on November 14, 1984, in Messina, a city in Sicily, Italy. His parents are Salvatore and Giovanna. To follow his dream of becoming a cyclist, he moved away from Messina when he was sixteen. He went to Tuscany, another region in Italy.

For most of the year, he lived with his coach, Carlo Franceschi. This was in Mastromarco, near Lamporecchio. Vincenzo showed early talent. He finished third in the junior time trial at the UCI World Championships in 2002. He also placed third in the under-23 time trial in 2004.

Professional Cycling Career

Vincenzo Nibali started his professional cycling journey in 2005. He quickly joined a bigger team called Liquigas in 2006.

Racing with Liquigas (2006–2012)

First Wins and Grand Tour Debuts

In 2006, when he was just 21, Nibali won his first big race, the GP Ouest–France in France. He also came in second overall in the Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali, winning one stage. In 2007, he rode in the Giro d'Italia for the first time, finishing 19th.

In 2008, he continued to improve. He finished 10th in a tough one-day race called Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He also rode in both the Giro d'Italia (11th place) and the Tour de France (20th place).

Breaking Through in 2009

Nibali racing in the 2009 Tour de France, where he finished sixth overall.

In 2009, Nibali won the Giro dell'Appennino by attacking far from the finish line. He also won the Gran Premio Città di Camaiore. He finished sixth in the Tour of California. He was also ninth in the Tour of the Basque Country.

At the Tour de France, he was one of the main riders for his team. He ended up finishing seventh overall. This was his best result in a Grand Tour at that time.

First Grand Tour Victory in 2010

Nibali wearing the leader's jersey at the 2010 Vuelta a España. He won his first Grand Tour here.

Vincenzo started 2010 strong, winning the Tour de San Luis. He was added to his team's Giro d'Italia squad at the last minute. His team won a stage, and he wore the leader's pink jersey for a few days. He also won a stage himself and finished third overall.

Later in 2010, Nibali won the Tour of Slovenia. He then went on to win the Vuelta a España. He didn't win any individual stages in that race, but he was very consistent. This was his first major Grand Tour victory.

Consistent Performances in 2011 and 2012

In 2011, Nibali continued to show strong form. He finished fifth in Tirreno–Adriatico. He also had good results in classic races, finishing eighth in both Milan–Sanremo and Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

He was a top favorite for the Giro d'Italia. He finished third overall, which was later changed to second after another rider was disqualified. He also rode in the Vuelta a España, finishing seventh overall.

Nibali at the 2012 Tour de France.

In 2012, Nibali won the Tirreno–Adriatico race. He also finished second in the Tour of Oman. He achieved his first podium finish in a "Monument" race by coming third in Milan–Sanremo.

He focused on the Tour de France in 2012. He rode very well in the mountains and time trials. He finished third overall, a great achievement.

Moving to Astana (2013–2016)

In 2013, Nibali joined a new team called Astana. This was a big move for him.

Giro d'Italia Victory in 2013

Nibali wearing the leader's pink jersey on the final stage of the 2013 Giro d'Italia.

Nibali started 2013 by winning Tirreno–Adriatico and the Giro del Trentino. He then entered the Giro d'Italia as one of the favorites. He took the leader's pink jersey on stage eight.

The race was affected by bad weather, including snow. Nibali showed his strength in these tough conditions. He won two mountain stages and a time trial. He won the Giro by a large margin, making it his second Grand Tour victory. He also finished second overall in the Vuelta a España later that year.

Winning the Tour de France in 2014

Nibali wearing the yellow jersey at the 2014 Tour de France.

In 2014, Nibali's main goal was to win the Tour de France. Before the Tour, he won the Italian National Road Race Championships.

He took the leader's yellow jersey on stage two of the Tour. He showed his dominance, especially on a stage with cobblestones, where he gained a lot of time. He regained the yellow jersey on stage ten and kept it until the end. He won four stages in total. He won the Tour de France by a huge margin of almost eight minutes. This was his third Grand Tour victory and made him one of the few riders to win all three Grand Tours.

Defending Titles and New Wins in 2015

Nibali finished fourth in the 2015 Tour de France as defending champion.

In 2015, Nibali aimed to defend his Tour de France title. He became the Italian National Champion for the second year in a row.

In the Tour de France, he lost a lot of time early on. However, he showed his fighting spirit in the Alps. He won stage 19 with a long solo attack. He finished the Tour in fourth place overall.

Later in 2015, he won his first "Monument" race, the Giro di Lombardia. He attacked on a downhill section and rode solo to victory. He also won two other Italian races, the Coppa Bernocchi and Tre Valli Varesine.

Second Giro d'Italia Win in 2016

Nibali won his second Giro d'Italia in 2016.

In February 2016, Nibali won the Tour of Oman. His main goal for the year was the Giro d'Italia. He started the Giro as the favorite.

During the Giro, he faced tough competition and lost time in some stages. However, he made an incredible comeback in the final mountain stages. On stage 19, he attacked on a downhill section, and the race leader crashed. Nibali won the stage and moved closer to the lead. On the final mountain stage, he attacked again and took enough time to win his second Giro d'Italia. This was a very emotional victory for him.

Later that year, he competed in the Olympic Road Race. He was in a good position to win but crashed on the final descent, breaking his collarbone.

Racing with Bahrain–Merida (2017–2019)

In 2017, Nibali joined a new team called Bahrain–Merida.

More Podium Finishes and Monument Wins in 2017 and 2018

Nibali (right) at the 2017 Giro d'Italia.

In 2017, he finished on the podium (top three) in both the Giro d'Italia (third place) and the Vuelta a España (second place). He also won his second Giro di Lombardia by attacking on a descent.

In March 2018, Nibali won the Milan–San Remo, another "Monument" race. He attacked on the final climb and held off the sprinters to win. This was his third Monument victory. He had to leave the 2018 Tour de France after a crash caused by a spectator.

Final Years with Bahrain–Merida in 2019

Nibali at the 2019 Tour de France.

In 2019, Nibali finished second overall in the Giro d'Italia. He also won a stage in the Tour de France, stage 20, with a solo attack.

Trek–Segafredo (2020–2021) and Astana Qazaqstan Team (2022)

Nibali joined the Trek–Segafredo team in 2020. During his two years there, he won two races. One of these was the 2021 Giro di Sicilia, his home race, where he won the final stage and the overall title.

Nibali at the 2022 Giro d'Italia.

In 2022, Nibali returned to the Astana team for his final season. After finishing stage five of the Giro d'Italia in his hometown of Messina, he announced he would retire at the end of the season. He wanted to spend more time with his family and friends. He finished the Giro in fourth place overall.

After retiring from racing, in November 2022, it was announced that Nibali would become a technical advisor for a new cycling team starting in 2023.

Personal Life

Vincenzo Nibali moved to Lugano, Switzerland, in 2012 with his girlfriend, Rachele Perinelli. They got married in October 2012. Their daughter was born in February 2014.

Vincenzo has a younger brother named Antonio Nibali. Antonio is also a professional cyclist. He rode on the same teams as Vincenzo for several years.

Awards

Vincenzo Nibali has won the Giglio d'Oro award six times. This award is given to the best Italian professional cyclist of the year. He won it in 2010, then every year from 2012 to 2015, and again in 2017.

Images for kids

• 

  Nibali finished sixth overall in the 2009 Tour de France

• 

  Nibali wearing the leader's jersey at the 2010 Vuelta a España. Nibali won the race overall, taking his first Grand Tour general classification victory.

• 

  Nibali at the 2012 Tour de France

• 

  Nibali wearing the leader's pink jersey on the final stage of the 2013 Giro d'Italia

• 

  Nibali wearing the yellow jersey at the 2014 Tour de France

• 

  Nibali finished fourth in the 2015 Tour de France as defending champion (pictured attacking with Nairo Quintana during the 14th stage).

• 

  Nibali won his second Giro d'Italia in 2016 ahead of Esteban Chaves and Alejandro Valverde (pictured during the 18th stage of the Giro to Pinerolo).

• 

  Nibali (right) at the 2017 Giro d'Italia

• 

  Nibali celebrating victory in the 2018 Milan–San Remo

• 

  Nibali at the 2019 Tour de France

• 

  Nibali at the 2022 Giro d'Italia

See also

In Spanish: Vincenzo Nibali para niños