In 2013 Daniel Moreno may have taken fewer wins than he did one year earlier but the quality of his wins increased substantially. Two stage wins in the Vuelta a Espana and a victory in the Fleche Wallonne made the season his best yet and in 2014 he plans to replicate the success in those races.

Daniel Moreno is mostly known as Joaquim Rodriguez' trusted lieutenant whose stature and characteristics are so similar to his captain's. However, the Spaniard is also a very classy bike rider in his own right as he fully proved in 2012 when he won 7 races and finished 5th in the Vuelta.

However, it was his performances in 2013 that finally revealed that Moreno is actually capable of winning the biggest races himself. It all started in the Fleche Wallonne in April when he took over the captaincy duties from defending champion Rodriguez who was still suffering from his crash in the Amstel Gold Race. On the famed Mur de Huy, Moreno accelerated away from everybody else and took his first big classics win.

In the Criterium du Dauphiné, he got his own chance while Rodriguez prepared for the Tour de France and he did well by finishing on the overall podium in 3rd. After riding in support of Rodriguez in La Grande Boucle, he was expected to play a similar role in the Vuelta.

However, Moreno surprised most by riding extremely strongly in the first week of the race, proving his strength on steep uphill finishes by winning to memorable stages and taking the leader's jersey. At one point, he even looked like a potential winner of the race but when he faded towards the end, he had to settle for 10th.

Moreno's tally of three wins may not be as big as his 2012 haul when he won a stage in the Ruta del Sol, the GP Miguel Indurain, two stages in the Dauphiné and two stages and the overall in the Vuelta a Burgos. Nonetheless, the quality of his wins means that he regards 2013 as his best year yet.

“The truth is that although I got fewer wins than other seasons, I think it was the best,” he said. “The victory of la Flèche Wallonne was a great thing for me, and the two stages of the Vuelta a España were a dream. But I also remember last season with satisfaction, with seven wins, which is a lot and was difficult to achieve.”

Moreno expects to continue his improvement in 2014 where he will once again target the same races that delivered him success in 2013.

"I think I can still grow a little more,” he said. “Every year I go up a step and this coming year should be a little more. I feel better every day on the big races, where I managed to finish better than before, and three week races.

“For next season I have two main objectives: the Ardennes classics and the Vuelta a España, which is my favourite race."

In the Ardennes, Moreno will once again have to find the fine balance between working for Rodriguez and taking his own chances. Rodriguez still hasn't determined his grand tour schedule yet but has stated his intention to return to the Giro. That makes a Giro-Vuelta double likely and so Moreno could be riding in support at the Spanish grand tour too.

Nonetheless, he is happy with his role.

"It’s not that I don’t have my own ambitions, but I'm really happy with my role as Purito’s lieutenant,” he explained. “We make a good duo and we complement each other well. He achieves great victories and I can also get mine. And we both know it."
 

Moreno is currently in Argentina where his wife hails from and  has started his preparation for the 2014 season which will kick off in the South American country.

"We came at around we end the season,” he said. “Here I can get the maximum hot weather and return to Spain as late as possible. But this year it will be earlier than other times; after riding the Tour de San Luis [between January 19th and 26th] I’ll travel to Spain to be with my teammates.

"October and November has been a time of rest and seeing the family,” he added. “This year we’ve travelled in the U.S. and Mexico, to see some of those countries. Now in December and January, taking advantage of the good weather here, I will train more seriously."

Moreno ended12th on the WorldTour rankings.