The correct answer is 2. They didn't have the ships and navigation skills to travel around Africa to Asia.
The Age of Exploration was only possible as a result of new technology, that is, the inventions of new ships such as caravels or the extensive research of navigation by individuals like Prince Henry the Navigator. These two factors allowed explorers to count on further reliable means of transportation and a better understanding of the geography as well as conditions they would face during their expeditions.
The Europeans have gone to all the places on Earth by ship, to trade and navigate but they had not used the Maritime routes before the age of exploration because of two reasons first they are weak in front of the Muslim forces controlling Portugal and Spain as it was a gateway to the trade market and could not with hold the Muslims there and the second they don't have much equipment and ships to travel from Asia to Africa that time.
