Vincenzo Nibali has told journalists at the Dauphine that young Astana teammate Fabio Aru will not ride the Tour de France this year after finishing second and taking two stages at the Giro d’Italia.

“In the future, he could come to the Tour de France, but this year, it’s not a good idea,” he told a press conference at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

“He spent a lot of energy at the Giro and the level here is so high at the Tour. If he were to do the Tour he would need a different preparation, but it could certainly happen next year.”

Fellow Italian Aru would have ridden the Tour as a luxury domestique for Niabli but it appears Aru and Mikel Landa wont help Nibali and will ride the Vuelta in August instead.