Antón aiming for Giro-Vuelta double

Igor Antón simply refuses to get down-beat about crashing out of the Vuelta while in the leader's jersey, and has already set himself goals for next season. He's likely to go back to the Vuelta next year, with the intention of winning, but intriguingly he's also aiming for the Giro. "Next year I want to do the Giro", he told Bilbao newspaper El Correo the day after successfully having surgery on his broken elbow. I've always thought of the Giro as the ideal Grand Tour for Antón, what with it's numerous high mountain stages and few time trial kilometres. Peaking for the Giro in May and the Vuelta in September - which is exactly what Nibali is doing now - sounds both doable and realistic. Both races traditionally suit him. As for his injury, the fractured bone in his elbow is likely to be healed in two or three weeks time, so it shouldn't really hamper next season at all. He's already stated that he's aiming to return to training before the season draws to a close.

Numerous riders, journalists and fans have got in contact with Antón over the weekend to wish him well in his recovery. As an Athletic Bilbao fanatic, Igor was in seventh heaven when Bilbao left-back Koikili and a few other players visitid him and handed over a signed shirt early on Sunday.