Vincenzo Nibali and Migel Angel López to ride Giro-Tour double

Vincenzo Nibali and Migel Angel López are both in Astana-Qazaqstan's Giro d'Italia and Tour de France plans for 2022, the team announced on Thursday.

The pair are returning to the Kazakhstani team, where they both achieved some of their greatest successes. Nibali last won the Giro in 2016, his last year with Astana before he moved first to Bahrain Merida and then Trek-Segafredo.

In a statement, the team said: "Vincenzo Nibali will wear the Astana Qazaqstan jersey again at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. Tirreno–Adriatico, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of the Alps will make his road towards the Giro d’Italia, while later he may take part in the Tour de France too."

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Nibali is one of only seven cyclists in history to have won all three grand tours, winning the Vuelta a España in 2010, the Giro in 2013 and 2016, and the Tour in 2014. While he might not be the designated leader for Astana, he will certainly be considered a threat for at least stage wins in both the Giro and the Tour.

Meanwhile, López is returning to Astana after spending just one year away with Movistar. Despite a stage win at the Vuelta, the Colombian climber terminated his contract after tensions within the team that culminated in him abandoning on stage 19 of the same race.

Discussing his season plan, the team said: "Starting his season with Jaen Paraiso Interior and Vuelta a Andalucia Miguel Angel López will be aiming the Giro d’Italia as the team leader. Also, he can take part in the Tour de France."

He achieved his best grand tour results with Astana, finishing the 2018 Vuelta and Giro in 3rd place, and achieving 6th place in the 2020 Tour with the team.

Alexey Lutsenko looks set to be the team leader for the Tour, aiming to build on his seventh-place finish last year. 

Speaking to the media earlier this week, the Kazakh rider said: "It’s not going to be easy but top three in the Tour de France is a goal for me and the team."

"This year with my seventh in the Tour I proved that I can be in the mix with the best riders," he continued. "Thanks to the team and staff I did an amazing job this year, so I think that we’ll try and do everything possible in the next years to reach this goal. Nothing is impossible and it’s a really big goal for the next years."