After spending six years with Bardiani-CSF, Sonny Colbrelli is ready to go WorldTour with Bahrain Merida. The Italian has enjoyed a solid season and is ready to experience big races outside of Italy.

"My third place at the Amstel Gold Race was a turning point in my career," Colbrelli explained to Gazzetta dello Sport, recalling how he won the bunch sprint behind Enrico Gasparotto and Michael Valgren in the hilly Netherlands Classic. "It was an important shop window and changed everything. The week after there was a first contact. Things were a bit confused at first because there were a lot of rumours about the team but I called Vincenzo and he reassured me about the project. We rode the 2014 Ponferrada world championships together and I'm proud to be part of a team that includes a 'campione' like him."

Colbrelli has four wins to his name this year, three coming in the last two weeks or so. With 12 wins overall, he spoke about his development under the Reverberi family at Bardiani.

"It's an important moment in my career, it's my first time in a WorldTour team," he explained. "I've developed over the last four years. At first I was Sacha Modolo’s leadout man, then when he left I had more of a leadership role. I've got to thank the Bardiani team and the Reverberi family, who have helped me improve as a rider.”

With Bahrain yet to sign a Classics rider, Colbrelli believes he can be the man to lead the new team to glory after what he did in Amstel Gold.

"We're going meet up soon but I imagine my goals will be the Classics: Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the Amstel Gold Race. I’m not a pure sprinter but after my result at the Amstel Gold Race this year, I'm convinced I can do something in the Classics."