Matt Prior, the former England cricketer and owner of the ONE Pro Cycling Team is trying to have his team promoted to Pro Continental level this offseason. He also has his eyes on a Grand Tour appearance as early as 2017.

He told Sky Sports: "We want to be in Grand Tours very soon. We are not ready next year, but as early as 2017, we will be looking to step up again.”

"We are looking at WorldTour events [in 2016], so we are going to be racing not only against Pro Continental teams, but WorldTour teams as well. It's going to be a huge learning curve, a steep learning curve, but it's a hugely exciting time for ONE Pro Cycling."

Prior also said he has some really strong youngsters on his team, but he doesn’t want his squad to be a stepping stone to bigger teams, he wants his squad to develop young riders and take them to the top of the sport with the team.

"The real dream is, instead developing them and they move on, developing them and we move on together to the WorldTour and Grand Tours. How long that will take, I don't really know and I wouldn't want to put a time on that.”

"We could be sat here this time next year with ONE Pro Cycling going to the WorldTour, or it might not happen. What is more important is progression and making sure that when we do make the decision to step up, it's sustainable and we step up for a while, not just in and out."