Early in his first pro season, it became clear that Michael Gogl would only get one year in the Tinkoff jersey as the Russian team folded the end of the year. But with good performances Gogl easily found a new employer.

The Austrian has signed with Trek-Segafredo for two years. "As I adapted well to the World Tour and even found a new team, my balance for 2016 can only be positive," Gogl tells radsport-news.com.

The fourth place in the Tour of Denmark (2.HC) and the Grand Tour debut with a fourth place on the 13th stage of the Vuelta a Espana were the highlights for Gogl.

Even if the bronze medals at Nationals were the best result on paper, those races did not go according to plan. "A disappointment was certainly the missed title at the national championships where I was pushed into the grid in the final sprint," Gogl explained.

Gogl will also be concentrating on the national championships in 2017, but the domestique role at Trek-Segafredo will be a major priority. As at Tinkoff, he will be at the side of Alberto Contador at the US team. He will also be able to focus on the Ardennes classics as he has accumulated a lot of classics experience at Tinkoff as a support rider for world champion Peter Sagan. "I am curious to see how I will be in the Ardennes," the youngster concluded.