In his first season as a pro, Valerio Conti both managed to win a race and do a grand tour. Now the Italian has set his sights on a stage win in the Giro during his second year at the highest level.

Valerio Conti has clear ideas for the next season: he wants to make his mark in the 2015 Giro d'Italia. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian sums up his first year as a pro and speaks about his plans for the coming season. The Lampre-Merida rider belongs to a family with a great cycling tradition. His father Franco and uncle Noé were both professional and both played a crucial role in making Valerio turn professional.

"My uncle gave me my first bike, a De Rosa in 2006, but it was so big that I could not reach the ground with my feet. My first shoes were of size 43 but I only needed a 38. My dad would go with me and gave me advice even though I didn't pay much attention. First of all, cycling has always been about fun for me.

"My first race was 50km away. I came home completely dead and was lying on the bed, sleeping all day. I started riding as a rookie in the second year and I took m first win in my second year. Later than many others. But from then, I continued to ride and win. And I always had fun. Also in the two amateur years at Mastromarco."

Conti now has his first professional season in his legs and he is left with mixed emotions.

"The first year as a professional started badly, with tendinitis in my left knee. I made my debut at the end of March, in the Settimana Coppi e Bartali. With only two weeks of training, I had to do a big effort. But the end of the season was great. In the last race on the calendar, Trofeo Beghelli, I tried to join the early break, then I tried again on the penultimate lap of the final circuit with Villella. Finally, I tried 2km from the finish with the two others that I beat in the sprint while the peloton was chasing."

At the end of the season, Conti made his grand tour debut when he got a late call up to the Vuelta after the withdrawal of Chris Horner. Next year he has set his sights on his home grand tour.

"I expect to progress, to take a step forward. To improve, to grow, to progress. The provisional schedule: debut at the GP Costa degli Etruschi, maybe the Giro d'Italia. I don't want to sound too conceited but I dream of a stage win in the Giro, to achieve results in other races, do good races. It will help me that I have done the Vuelta. I was selected at the last minute and spent four days in the white jersey which is for the combination classification, not the young riders. I took a few placings and, more importantly, finished the three-week race."

Conti has now started his preparations for next season but has had to forget about his educational ambitions.

"I won't go to the poor or gym but I will make gymnastic exercises at home to strengthen the arms and shoulders. And I will ride my bike. Now I go out with friends but from December I will be more serious and start to work. I will do gatherings and training camps with my team, Lampre-Merida.

"I have a diploma in accounting but that was from my first amateur year. I would have loved to go to university to study something linked to sport but the compulsory attendance was not compatible with our nomadic life.

I am privileged nomad. The bike is my passion. A passion is more about feelings and emotions and not sacrifice. Feelings and emotions can transform sacrifices to joy. The duties are pleasures.  I live in Rome so I consider me lucky that I am able to travel and learn about the world."