Cesare Benedetti's story is among the most beautiful in the season finale.

On August 20, the Italian had been informed that Bora-Argon 18 would not offer him a contract for 2016 and he found himself with an uncertain future. However, he refused to give up and was involved in a vast number of attacks that allowed him to be a protagonist in almost every race he did. The climax was reached in Il Lombardia where he was part of the early break and still managed to finish 14th.

The impressive performances convinced Ralph Denk, manager of the German team, to changed his mind and renew the contract for another season, thus rewarding the hard work done by the guy from Rovereto. 

"The renewal was a surprise, because they had been clear on August 20," Benedetti tells Cyclingpro.net. "Then, for the fact that I was without a team, they have changd their mind and offered ​​me a contract.

"It was a case of meritocracy. It does not happen always like this, but sometimes it does.

"2015 was fairly in the sense that I did quite well in the spring from Trentino to Liege and also in the season finale. I missed a bit of continuity in my racing. After a long break in the summer, it was not easy to find the rhythm in August. It took me a while to get going, but certainly the performance in September in the races in Canada and in Italy rewarded me."

Benedetti has now set his signs on 2016.

"We will gather for the first time from November 23 to 28 in Bavaria and there I will know a bit more about my calendar although we must wait for the wild cards. I hope to have the same role in the team and then I want to continue along the same line: always available but being more careful in trying to carve out some space for a personal satisfaction that will make sure that I can stay in the peloton next year." 

As an Italian, Benedetti hopes that Bora-Argon 18 will be invited for the Giro.

"It ​​would be a good opportunity because in these two years I did not do the Tour," he said. "I would probably be more likely to do the Giro. It is the first Grand Tour I've done in my career and you feel it in the legs for the rest of the season. Let's see, I do not know the goals of the team, but next year there will be more professional teams than usual and then there will be harder competition for the wildcards."

Benedetti thinks that the lack of grand tours on his calendar has had an impact on his performances.

"The longest race I did was Alberta in September," he said. "When you are riding against people who have just done the Vuelta or the Tour, the legs are different. Over the years, you can build your engine in the grand tours."

Benedetti's season highlight was Il Lombardia.

"It was a day beyond expectations. The personal goal was to be in the break, but we know that in these races if you go early you can not attack in the finale," he said. "That day I found the ideal day and, also driven by the motivation of not having team team, I also enjoyed myself. It was a good race, everything went as it should and even better. In the end, after Sormano, I was in front and it was important to hang on to get a result. 

"That day the team was very happy, even in the live broadcast on Eurosport in Germany we were very noticeable. That was probably the turning point because after Lombardy things changed regarding the renewal of the contract."