Sam Bennett of NetApp-Endura would jump at the chance to ride the Tour de France in his first year as a pro. The German squad was handed a wild card invitation to the race earlier this week and star rider Leopold Konig has already targeted a top-10 performance overall.

“Riding the Tour was NetApp Endura’s main goal from the go, I think. Now that they are in there, they are really happy…the next step now is to get there and to perform,” he told VeloNation.

Bennett signed for NetApp after an impressive Tour of Britain with the An Post squad where he won a stage and was second on two other occasions.

He is a sprinter by trade but can get over the steep climbs and this could make him a very valuable asset in reduced sprints where he has the potential to challenge the likes of Sagan and Gerrans.

Despite the fact that the 23 year old is yet to race this season, he would jump at the chance to be on the Tour de France team.  “I’d love to be able to do a Grand Tour like that in my first season,” he said, motivation clear in his voice. “There are loads of guys who go through their professional career and don’t get to ride it. It would be a great honor to ride the Tour, it would be class.

“Of course it is my first year and there are a lot of races to do before that. I am just going to focus on doing those other races and trying to perform to the best of my ability there. If the Tour comes along, that’s absolutely fantastic. If not, I am going to have to be realistic and say I am a first year pro and there are plenty of other years. I would absolutely love to start, though.”

This winter also signals the first time the Irishman has had a good pre-season, as he has been free of niggling injuries and has also changed his training routine, forgoing long and steady rides for a more structured process. “I never had a good pre-season. I am healthy and everything seems to be flowing along. It is kind of strange in one way. I am kind of thinking ‘am I too far ahead of schedule?’ But it is just because I am not playing catch-up, it is strange.”

Bennett will be on the start line soon though, as he is headed to the Tour’s of Qatar and Oman. In order to ensure he is in the best possible shape for his season, he will fly to Mallorca to do a few more days of hard, last minute training. Whether or not he can get a big result early on is unclear but he certainly does not lack motivation. 

“I would definitely love to hit the season with a bang and try to get an early result,” he said. “I would absolutely love that, but I don’t know how it will turn out. All I can do is try my best.

“Getting a good result early on and finishing one of the big early season Classics are both goals.”

Those are definitely achievable goals for Bennett. However, he is aware that he must also pace himself throughout the season.

“The main thing I am being told is that a lot of guys turn pro and they think they have to do more. They hit the season real hard and then they blow up pretty early on. So the key is to work hard, but not to do too much before the season begins.”

Whatever happens in 2014, Bennett has a big future ahead of him.