Apparently drawing particular conclusions from a disastrous 2014 season, Team Sky considerably strengthened their roster for this year, bringing in riders not only capable of playing supporting roles in the biggest stage races, but taking over a leadership in case their „plan A” falls apart somewhere on the windsweapt and cobbled roads of Northern France again. Or on mountainous ones in Italy.

Subjectively the most exciting addition to the British squad, former NetApp-Endura young captain Leopold König, hasn't exactly shined in his first races in the Team Sky outfit. He insists, though, that stepping up from a Pro Continental to WorldTour squad is a huge change and more time is needed to get accustomed to the entirely new environment.

“I’m still finding out the differences between the two teams,” König told Cycling Weekly. “The biggest one is the number of people around me. I still have to adapt to it. I don’t know half of them!

“You have more resources here, people taking care of everything, every area of performance. Then, it’s how the riders cope with it and how they use the resources.”

Brought in along with Wout Poels and Nicolas Roche, the 27-year old Czech appeared as one most likely to be provided with a chance to lead the British squad in Grand Tour events. The Vuelta a Espana was first suggested, as König has already proven his worth on the Spanish roads by finishing ninth in the general classification back in 2013. Team Sky sports director revealed, though, that they have entirely different plan for the talented rider.

“The plan for Leo is to go for the Giro with Richie Porte,” Sky DS Nicolas Portal told Cycling Weekly. “I presume that he will be the backup, and that’s already an important role.

With Porte, König, Poels and Roche all ready to completely sacrifice themselves for Froome in the mountainous edition of the Tour de France, Team Sky chances to bounce back from last year's disappointment look promising, softly speaking.

Unconquered Italian territories will be the first real objective for the 27-year old Czech, though, and he dares to dream big while thinking of his first appearance in the Giro d'Italia.

“It’s another step in my career to do the two Grand Tours,” the Czech rider said. “My body needs to be under pressure and under big loads of racing and training. It can suit me to do one race as a leader or co-leader, and to do one race as a helper.

“It’s simple. I had ninth and seventh in my first two Grand Tours, so the next step is top five or the podium.

“The best would be to do what we are thinking about, first and second in the Giro! I’m just having fun, but you should set higher goals than maybe you can achieve, because then there’s more probability that it’s going to happen when you set a goal of being top 20.”