The start list for the 2017 Giro dīItalia contains no shortage of realistic contenders for the maglia rosa, but in the eyes of pre-race favourite Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrrain-Merida) stands out above the rest. `Heīs on home turf. I think heīs the greatest rival I have in this Giro,` said the Colombian of the rider who won the Giro in 2013, the year before he did so himself. Quintana was speaking at a press conference in his Bogota on Friday, organised before he heads to Europe ahead of the first Grand Tour of the season in Sardinia. And itīs the first Grand Tour in an audacious double as the Movistar rider has set himself the goal of winning the Giro-Tour de France double - a feat not achieved since Marco Pantani did it back in 1998.ADVERTISEMENT There have been question marks over how he races the Giro and whether he can afford to hold anything back for July. Indeed, the Tour still remains the 27-year-oldīs highest priority, and the double decision was based on his past performances in the Vuelta a Espaņa and the notion that he fares better in the second Grand Tour he rides. `The idea is to go for the Giro title - for both titles. I donīt know if itīs going to come off or not, but weīll try,` said Quintana, though he did suggest the maglia rosa wasnīt the be-all and end-all. `More than going there desperate to win the Giro, Iīm going with the excitement of being able to participate in the 100th edition as a past winner of the race,` he said.
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