Alex Cano, one of Colombia’s top cyclists, will join the European peloton in 2015 after he signed for Team Colombia.

“We’ve made a few changes for 2015, but the big one is Alex Cano,” Colombia’s general manager Claudio Corti told VeloNews.

“He is the most famous cyclist racing in Colombia right now. I say ‘in Colombia’ because of course, in Europe, Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán, and others are already doing quite well.”

Cano turned 31 this year and has already raced in Europe as an amateur, taking the 2007 Giro della Valle d’Aosta, one of the sports biggest amateur races.

“We normally aim for young riders, and we are still doing that, trying to take them to a new level internationally,” Corti added.

“He’s already raced in Italy, won the Valle d’Aosta and had some other good results. Last year, he was second overall in Vuelta a Colombia and this year, he placed second in the Clásico RCN and won the Vuelta a Guatemala overall in October. He’s the strongest in Colombia, out of those who live and race in Colombia.”

Cano has a long way to go to be the country’s best cyclist, wit names like Arredondo, Uran and of course Nairo Quintana all bossing the WorldTour just now. But Corti believes his new rider can be right up there with the best in a short space of time.

“We need to try with him. I’m not going to say that he’s the Colombian of the future and that he can take Quintana’s place, that’s for you to say or decide,” Corti said.

“We are going to give him a good amount of racing and a good calendar. Clearly though, I believe that we are going to be able to win with him!”

After being invited to the last two Giro d’Italias, Colmbia want to return again in 2015 as well as adding a second Grand Tour to their schedule next year. A Grand Tour would be a big step for Cano in his first year back as a pro, but it would be the perfect stage to show his talents and reinforce Colombia’s claim to be the best cycljng nation right now.