Vincenzo Nibali has hinted that he may continue racing beyond 2021, admitting that he has a renewed enthusiasm for cycling and life at home after the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic forced him to miss the spring.

The 35-year-old Sicilian has not raced since the Paris-Nice race in early March and is living a restful life with his wife and young daughter in Lugano, Switzerland. He trained outdoors and participated in Trek-Segafredo virtual rides and races.

Nibali won the Tour de France in 2014, the Vuelta a España in 2010, and the Giro d'Italia in 2013 and 2016. He has also won twice at Il Lombardia and Milan-San Remo. He initially planned to compete in the Giro, the Tokyo Olympics, the Vuelta a España, and the 2020 World Championships. The Olympics were then postponed until 2021, and Nibali decided to forgo the Vuelta, but the Vuelta now overlaps the Giro in the revised calendar.

"Of course I'm thinking about the 'pink triple,'" Nibali admitted to Il Giornale on Monday.

"Just like at the World Championships. I hope it will be held in Aigle Martigny, Switzerland. I hope it will be held in Aigle Martigny, Switzerland.

"After that we have to think about Tokyo. I still can't get over the fact that I missed the chance to win gold in Rio. I fell on the way to the finish line."

When it was suggested that the Tokyo road race in the summer of 2021 might be the perfect opportunity to end his career, Nibali pushed back his plans to retire after the final year of his current contract with Trek-Segafredo and made it clear that he was not done yet.

"I'll keep running like I am now, with the same determination, with the same enthusiasm. You can't stop me," Nibali said. You can't stop me," Nibali said.

In recent weeks, Nibali has been training with fellow Lugano residents Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Dario Cataldo (Movistar), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education First), and Domenico Pozzovivo (NTT Pro Cycling). He trains hard and enjoys long rides in the Swiss mountains instead of racing the Giro d'Italia.

Nibali is showing a different side of himself, clearly relaxed and away from the intensity and pressure of racing. He participated in an Instagram live show hosted by former pro Lelo Ferrara, even appearing in his pajamas in one episode.

"I wasn't trying to be friendlier than usual, I was the same me I am with my friends," he explained.

"People who know me understand that I like to have fun, even if some people judge me just by looking at me in a race. There is a lot of stress, pressure, and competition in racing, and it's my job to win, so I have to focus on that and do my best. When I'm sitting in front of the webcam, I'm much more relaxed.

Nibali also confirmed his dexterity and love of electronics during the lockdown, showing that he is more than a bike racer when he is at home.

"I don't like to sit still. Once I'm home and done training for the day, I'll fix whatever needs fixing. The washing machine is broken? I'll fix it. Blind problem" No problem. I fix and maintain my own bikes, and I have no problem fixing the bikes of my training partners in Switzerland. I also like electronics and cameras. I'm also not a bad cook: the pizzas I make at home are pretty good."