Vincenzo Nibali’s performances may have been worrying the Astana team but the man himself says that his form does not concern him too much.

“I’m not worried,” Nibali told VeloNews. “Two years ago at the Dauphiné, I went slow and easy. I lost nine minutes on the stage that Nairo Quintana won. At the Tour, though, I placed third overall.”

Nibali is winless this year and Astana manager Giuseppe Martinelli says this is unusual but not a major issue.

“He’s used to winning. That weight of not winning is there, but it’s not a big problem,” Astana team manager Giuseppe Martinelli said. “In 2011, it was like that, he escaped often, had a lot of podiums and didn’t win. I don’t think that he’s not sleeping at night because of this.”

“Oh no! I haven’t won yet!” Nibali joked. “It doesn’t bother me. I’ve got time.”

Even some of Nibali’s rivals have weighed in on the debate:

“The Tour is Nibali’s goal,” Contador said. “Even if it seems like it’s just me and Froome dominating now, we can count on him, he’ll get better.”

Paolo Slongo, Nibali’s trainer is the man charged with creating a training program that lead Nibali to success. He puts it down to Nibali having less time at altitude than his rivals.

“At this point, [Froome and Contador] have a small advantage because they returned from altitude training a week earlier and have a week more of acclimatization,” Martinelli said. “Contador, for example, went a week earlier to Tenerife because he didn’t race the Tour de Romandie.”

“It’s Froome and Contador on the top of the Tour podium for now, Vincenzo third and a handful of others behind,” said Martinelli.

“We still have a month to improve, though."

“Someone on the top could slow down between now and the Tour de France or have some sort of problem. And at the Tour, in that fifth stage on the pavé, someone could completely lose it.”