First announced as a captain of the Italian team for the upcoming Word Championships road race, Vincenzo Nibali hinted that he will line-up at Ponferrada in the supporting role as he hasn’t raced much following his victory at the Tour de France and finds the course unfavorable for his characteristics. Astana captain also suggested that he might consider riding the Giro-Tour double in 2015.

Nibali hasn’t competed since his appearances in post-Tour criteriums and hasn’t done reconnaissance of Worlc Championships road race course in Spain. He claims, however, that slightly less demanding than last year’s route in Florence where he finished fourth, this season’s parcours are not suitable to his characteristics.

“I saw the course, but only in a video from [Italian Team Director] Davide Cassani,” Nibali explained at a charity event on Saturday near Como, Italy. “It’s not very suited to my characteristics, but the goal is to be there and to support the team.”

“I’ve talked about [the Worlds circuit] with Cassani,” Nibali Continued. “I’ll do all I can to arrive ready for the goal and give my best to the Italian team. Everyone knows that the Tour was my first goal of the year and the Worlds my second.”

“The criteriums that he did and the upcoming races will be enough if he trains well,” Astana trainer, Paolo Slongo told Cycling Weekly. “I’ve gone to Lugano to train with him, pacing him behind the motorbike to simulate races. It’d be if he was able to race more, but without the Vuelta a España he didn’t have many other opportunities.”

It seems very unlikely, though, that the wily Astana rider won’t go on offensive if any opportunity arises. Nonetheless, Nibali already appears to be more focused on his 2015 goals, and bending under some pressure from Italian media he started to consider a possibility of riding an extremely difficult Giro-Tour double next year.

“We are struggling with this idea. Clearly, it’s difficult for me to renounce the Giro d’Italia because it’s a race that I like a lot and it’s truly in my heart, but as the Tour de France winner, I also have the desire to return to the French roads to fight with the best,” Nibali explained. “It won’t be an easy decision, but I like the idea of racing both of them.”