During his three years at Team Stölting, Silvio Herklotz was always one of the rides who was expected to achieve results. The German managed the jump to a professional team without problems but in his neo-professional season in the Bora-Argon 18 jersey everything didn’t go according to plan.

"The season was rather mixed but overall I am satisfied with my season," Herklotz told radsport-news.com. What the 22-year-old lacked was his own successes, with his 10th place overall in the Tour of Azerbaijan (2.1) as well as a sixth place in a stage in the Oberösterreich Rundfahrt (2.2) being the best results. "I would have liked a few personal successes, but you cannot order those. And what is not there yet can still come, sometimes even faster than you think. The positive thing is that I've learned a lot and now look optimistically towards the 2017 season," Herklotz added optimistically.

The personal highlight of the season for the climbing specialist was to participate in the Vuelta a Espana, his first three-week tour. "In the preparation - training as well as racing - I worked intensively so there was joy and excitement at the start," Herklotz said. However, the joy was soon replaced by frustration as the Bora rider had to abandon with a gastrointestinal infection before the 11th stage. "That was hard, even in retrospect." Despite the illness, Herklotz said that "I felt very consistent during the season."

Herklotz wants to build on this foundation in 2017, his second year at Bora-Argon 18 which will now be called Bora-hansgrohe. He is pleased that the squad will be strengthened and probably get a WorldTour license. "I think you grow with your tasks, and this development in the team comes just right at the right rime. What does that mean for me? I will be able to ride more races than ever before. That is what I want. I will be able to gain more experience. I will continue to learn, above all from the skills and experience of the older riders ", Herklotz said.

His role in the team will not change despite the numerous changes. "I will continue to do my tasks as much as I can, and I will continue to develop, and the team will give me confidence. That is the most important message I will take over the winter," said Herklotz. “I want to prove myself and help the team.”