After his excellent 2014 season, Fabio Aru is ready for new challenges in 2015. The Italian is planning to lead Astana in the Giro and is ready to support Vincenzo Nibali in the Tour de France.

Despite having proved his talent already in 2013, Fabio Aru enjoyed a breakthrough in 2014. The Italian climber finished third in the Giro d'Italia and was fifth in the Vuelta a Espana and won a total of three mountain stages in the two grand tours.

"It is true that 2014 was a pivotal year for my career," he told Tuttobici in an interviews. "I got ​​new experiences, the Vuelta and the Worlds who have enriched both my technical and human luggage. Of course I am very happy with the results I got, especially in the Vuelta and the Giro."

Aru has now set his sights on 2015.

"Basically my 2015 has already started," he said. "On October 5 when I finished ninth at the Tour of Lombardy, I already thought about next year. I immediately started to plan 2015 and after a short break I resumed training, now for ten days. In Montecatini, we will make the schedules for next season."

Team leader Vincenzo Nibali initially played with thought of doing the Giro-Tour double. Having seen the course for the French race, however, the Italian has confirmed that he will focus entirely on his title defence, meaning that Aru will again get the chance to lead Astana in the Giro.

"We will decide everything at the team gathering in Montecatini," he said. "For my part, the responsibility does not scare me, in fact I'm glad to take it because it means that the team believes in me. I like the course for the 2015 Giro. It is hard and there are more altitude metres than in 2014. The 60km time trial does not make me scared and we are planning a specific preparation to obtain good results."

That time trial will be a hurdle for Aru and the Italian admits that it will be one of the most important days of the race.

"Surely the time trial and those to Sestriere and with the Mortirolo," he said when asked to select the key stages of the race.

Fabio Aru has never done the Tour de France but next year he is likely to go to France to support Nibali in the mountains.

"After the Giro and Vuelta, it is an experience that I want to have," he said. Although the French race remains an unknown for me from a technical standpoint, its immense charm is undeniable.

"It is an option that has to be considered and planned carefully. Maybe we'll talk about in the next few days but for me there would be problems." 

In addition to being a professional rider, Aru is spending a lot of time on his studies.

"Cycling is rich in history and tradition, as are the classical studies I've done so the connection is strong," he said. "You also have to plan your studies to obtain results, just like you have to do in cycling."
 

Until now, Aru has mostly been known for his skills in the high mountains. However, he is constantly seeking improvements in all aspects of racing.

"I love to climb but I do not like labels," he said. For now I feel better on the longer climbs but I'm trying to make progress on the short ones. However I would like to extend my technical knowledge in other specialties to become a complete rider."