Vincenzo Nibali returned to competition after the Tour de France when he lined up in today's Coppa Bernocchi. Having played an active role in the unusually selective race, he was pleased with his sensastions but knows that Thursday's hard Tre Valli Varesine is the really big test.

“Most important was that I felt good after 50 days of no racing," Vincenzo Nibali said after the Coppa Bernocchi. "Tomorrow is a course more suited to me, today I think I spent more energy than I expected."

Nibali, the 2014 Tour de France Champion, escaped into a late breakaway of 23 riders and was an active force in the finale, attacking solo several times on the mostly flat course near Milano.

The three races this week – known collectively as Il Trittico Lombardo – mark Nibali’s return to racing after the Tour de France.

Ahead of next week’s World Championship events in Spain, Trittico Lombardo is the last chance for Nibali and his Astana teammates to test their fitness as a professional team before returning to their home country selections. Nibali will lead the Italian National Squad in Ponferrada on 28 September.

"I miss a bit of speed, but I face these races with the goal of improving. Today I may have spent a little more than expected, tomorrow I will try to be more quiet in view of the Tre Valli Varesine that has a course for me. In the end I wanted to try it because there was a bit of uncertainty and I'm happy with my performance."