Vincenzo Nibali has warned his yellow jersey rivals that he is fit and ready to defend his Tour de France title when the race begins next week even if he had a "very difficult winter". The Astana Pro Team leader returned to winning ways on Saturday by claiming a second Italian road race title.

"I had a very difficult and complicated winter, full of commitments which never allowed me to recover fully, above all mentally", Nibali said in a press conference ahead of the Italian Championships. "It was difficult to go one year without winning and to be the focus of criticism. Then I had a problem that I never confessed. This winter I had problems with my right Achille tendon which luckily. I have overcome now."

Nibali began his season in February at the Dubai Tour (39th). He finished also 20th at the Tour of Oman, 40th at Strade Bianche, 16th at Tirreno-Adriatico. During the spring races, his best result was a 13th place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Last month, against rivals Froome and van Garderen, he appeared better. He suffered and lost ground on the stage to Pra-Loup but returned with an aggressive day-long attack and earned second place to Rui Costa one day later.

Nibali told about his main rivals. "Froome impressed on the climbs in the Dauphiné. Quintana, though, is the most dangerous for me. I don't know if Contador will be tired (after the Giro d'Italia),. You need a perfect season to pull off the Giro/Tour de France double, but he has he capacity to do so."

Astana Pro Team line-up: Vincenzo Nibali, Lars Boom, Jakob Fuglsang, Andriy Grivko, Dmitriy Gruzdev, Tanel Kangert, Michele Scarponi, Rein Taaramae, Lieuwe Westra.