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UTRECHT. – Reigning champion Vincenzo Nibali admitted yesterday that he has been unhappy with his season so far, but insisted he is still on course to retain the Tour de France title.

On the eve of the Grand Depart in Utrecht with today’s 13,8-kilometre time trial, Nibali pulled no punches about the tough start he’s had to the current campaign, in which he had not yet won a race until last weekend’s Italian championships.

“It was a difficult spring because I didn’t have any wins and wasn’t able to find the right conditions to win,” said the 30-year-old Sicilian.

“Even from winning the Tour last year, it wasn’t easy to get going again in the new season.

“But with my coach Paolo Slongo we managed to find the ideal preparation and training before the Tour, just like last year, and now we’ll see at the Tour.”

Nibali also moved to backtrack on his barb aimed at Tour rival Nairo Quintana, in which he questioned where the Colombian climber had been preparing for the Tour – something that was seen by many as a thinly veiled suggestion that the Movistar leader was training back in his homeland to avoid being tested for doping.

“My intention wasn’t to discredit an important country like Colombia in questioning where Quintana was,” explained Nibali. -AFP.

“It was about knowing where everyone else is and seeing how many media were following our training when in Teide, San Pellegrino or at the Dauphine.

“It was just a simple ‘we don’t know where Quintana is because we haven’t seen him since (the Tour de) Romandie’.

“It wasn’t a controversy, just a way of saying we haven’t seen him since Romandie. I’m sorry if the question was taken the wrong way.” – AFP.