Having begun his season Down Under, and then got some good training done in Maui, Hawaii, Cannondale-Garmin rider Rhyer Hesjedal has told VeloNews he is ready to continue his push towards the Giro d’Italia at Strade Bianche this afternoon.

The last time he rode Down Under and Strade Bianche was in 2012, he went on to win the Giro that year, and he is following a similar program to 2012 in an attempt to repeat his success.

Hesjedal had a good 2014 after suffering in 2013, where he won a stage of the Vuelta and was ninth in the giro. He also heloed Andrew Talansky win the Dauphine and Dan Martin win the Giro di Lombardia.

“I was pretty happy with how my Giro went last year,” said Hesjedal, who finished ninth on general classification and second to eventual race winner Nairo Quintana (Movistar) on the brutal 139-kilometer stage 16 from Ponte di Legno to Val Martello.

“To me that was a successful race. Ninth at the Giro doesn’t sound quite as nice as winning the Giro, but we had a lot of shit go down, so I had to race it a different way and go on the attack, take chances, and almost won one of the hardest stages anyone has ever seen.”

He isn’t targeting individual success in the early part of the season, saying he is keen to help others, like he always does, and he will gauge how he is from his performances and the results of his teammates.

“I gauge my early-season successes at the moment by helping my teammates, and come May I will ride for more personal goals,” said Hesjedal, who hinted at a possible Giro-Tour double back in January but did not elaborate further when questioned last week.

“The Giro is a very realistic goal,” Hesjedal concluded. “I’m doing the work I need to do and focusing on the early part of my season for now.”