Despite having only been a member of BMC Racing Team for three months, Damiano Caruso looks to have already become an integral part of the team since moving from the Cannondale team.

The 27-year-old Italian will support Philippe Gilbert in the Ardennes Classics and in the Giro’s opening stages. He has already led the team in Tirreno-Adriatico while helping Greg van Avermaet take a stage win there. The talented climber spoke to CyclingQuotes about the move and his role within the team.

Caruso spoke of his first impressions of the American-registered, Swiss-backed WorldTour team, saying from the moment he arrived he felt the team was very professional.

“The first approach with the BMC Racing Team has been very positive. I sensed right away the great professionalism of the people who make up the team.”

As a climber coming into the peak years of his career, when remuours first emerged that Cannondale would not exist this year, many riders wanted to leave and were sought after by many teams. Caruso and teammate Alessandro De Marchi were quickly snapped up by BMC. Caruso said the main reason for signing with the team was that they gave him the chance to lead the team.

“I chose the BMC Racing Team because I always heard good things about this team and especially they offered me the ability to be the leader in some races.”

He was ninth in the Vuelta a Espana last year, comfortably his best result in a Grand Tour and he says he takes huge confidence considering his performance against men like Contador, Froome, Sanchez, Valverde and Rodriguez. We will find out how much he has improved when he rides his next Grand Tour, which hasn't been confirmed but is widely velieved to be the Giro d'Italia this year.

“I believe that the Vuelta in 2014 where there were so many champions, was a starting point, now I'm more confident in my ability and certainly will try to improve further in the next Grand Tour.”

Caruso has only one won pro race, a stage of the 2013 Coppi e Bartali, but he has been agonizingly close to winning a Grand Tour stage on various occasions, finishing second on a Vuelta stage last year and third in a Giro stage in 2013 and a Vuelta stage in 2011. He says his goals for 2015 are to develop and try and win a WorldTour race, as well as keeping his development as a GC rider going.

“My goal for this season, try to win at least one stage of a world tour race and at the same time try to hit some good placement in a Grand Tour.”

Even though he can lead the team in events like Tirreno, he has no specific role within the team for this year, meaning he can have his chance to lead and win races and develop as a rider, but he also has to help the teams other leaders like van Garderen and van Avermaet.

“My role in BMC will vary during the season, depending on the type of race and by teammates present.”