Fabio Aru: Nibali must win the Giro d'Italia for me too
May 07 2019 05:46 am CET
Photo of Fabio Aru by UAE Team Emirates
UAE-Team Emirates' Fabio Aru is slowly returning to the bike again after undergoing surgery in the iliac artery of the left leg. The rider had to miss the Giro d'Italia but will be cheering for Vincenzo Nibali.
The Italian was diagnosed with a constriction of the iliac artery in the left leg that didn't let him give the maximum power at racing. The surgery was already done and after it comes a period in which he will have to recover the strength step by step.
"It is not pleasant to be out of racing for someone like me who loves this job so much," said the rider to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. "The first few days I stayed in bed, then I did a few walks without putting too much strain in my leg, the second week I went to take a walk just to see what the world was like outside.
"On April 15th I climbed back onto the rollers, with the handlebars high so I wouldn't force my pelvis too much. Slowly, like a child. But the psychological fact of sitting on my bike again, the gesture of putting my shoes and the racing kit back on... The instinct of competition is always there. And inside I have the mad desire to test myself."
When talking about returning to racing, the rider gave one answer: "I hope to be back in time for the Vuelta, that would be nice."
Aru has taken this moment of rest to do several things. "I did a full-immersion in cycling on TV, like when I was 18 years old," Aru explained. "I was delighted by (Alberto) Bettiol's result in the Tour of Flanders, but I couldn't jump on the couch. And then (Mathieu) van der Poel, a great performance in the Amstel Gold Race.
"I continued taking English lessons, studying. I didn't put on a pound. I reduced the quantities at the table and I'm still around 65 kilos."
The rider can't hide his disappointment for missing the Giro d'Italia but is rooting for his former teammate Vincenzo Nibali. "I live these days with great bitterness and sorrow," he explained. "I saw Nibali very well at the Tour of the Alps, better than other times. He will arrive at the perfect time for the Giro.
"I am cheering for him, we have shared many years, a great relationship, I learned a lot from him and I am connected to him: he must win for me too... He has so much class and experience that he shouldn't be afraid of anyone. He has great strength and continuity over the years. He knows how to do it."
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