Vincenzo Nibali is going into the Tour de France as the bookmakers' favourite for the final spot on the podium behind Chris Froome and Alberto Contador but the Italian isn't going into the race with his eyes just on the third step. He will be racing to win and claims to be at the same level as he was when he won last year's Giro d'Italia.

One year ago Vincenzo Nibali seemed to be in a class of his own in the Giro d'Italia, crushing the opposition in the final week to take a maiden victory in his home grand tour. This year he has set his sights on the Tour de France where he hopes to win the only three-week race that he hasn't conquered yet.

Nibali has had a poor season so far and in the Criterium du Dauphiné it was evident that he was still below the level of Alberto Contador and Chris Froome. Since then he has been training well and won the Italian road race championships and he now feels that he is back at the level that allowed him to win last year's Giro.

"After the final training camp in the Dolomites I feel good. I'd say I'm about the same as last year, when I won the Giro d'Italia," he said at the pre-race press conference. "I hope to be up there and fight with them. Froome pushes a crazy gear when he attacks and Contador seems able to go with him. But I think I've got a good chance of doing well.

"The level is very high but I hope to be up there and fight for it. The Tour is tough, you can know the route in detail but anything can happen. It'll be a hard race every day."

Nibali is known as an aggressive rider who attacks when it is least expected. He hopes to make use of those skills to win the race.

"My instinctive character is favoured by the hard stages in this year's race," he said. "The Yorkshire stages are hard and even the finale of stage one is technical. There are several difficult stages, including La Planche des Belles Filles, Hautacam and even the final time trial will all be important and shape the race.

"I've never raced on the pavé but I know how to ride my bike. But I've raced in tough conditions in the Giro, in the snow for example, but the cobbles will be different. We'll need to ride united as a team.

"I wouldn't want to accept third place but if we consider it's the Tour de France, with some special campioni here and the best riders in the world in action, then third would be a good result.

"I think it's difficult to say who is the absolute favourite between Froome and Contador. They're both great riders. Perhaps Contador has more experience. For sure it’ll be a big battle and there will be other contenders. It will also depend on what Rodriguez, Valverde and Costa do too. There will be surprises."