With Chris Horner hidden from a spotlight racing in North America, Davide Rebellin is the most experienced rider in the professional peloton. While a career of the former has been derailed by countless injuries, though, the letter seem to get better and better with age. The Italian veteran suggested that it remains uncertain when he would hang up his wheels and that he may very well continue racing through 2017.

“I do not know when to hang up the bike,” Rebellin said. “Every year I think it could be the last, and we’ll see.”

Rebellin, currently riding for the Polish Pro Continental outfit CCC Sprandi Polkowice, is not only an extremely experienced cyclist and mentor to his younger team-mates, but a highly decorated rider. Excelling especially in one-day hilly races, the 44-year old Italian achieved what seems unachievable for most classics specialists – won all three Ardennes classics back in 2004 and then added two more victories in La Fleche Wallonne in 2007 and 2009.

Turning 40 didn't prevent Rebellin from riding at the top level and taking at least one victory each season, including a stage and a near-miss at the Tour of Tourkey general classification last season. Nothins suggests that the CCC Sprandi cannot do it one more time in 2016, as he finished 9th in the Dubai Tour GC and showed his claws in the uphill finish to Hatta Dam.

His race schedule is strongly relied on invitations received by the Polish Pro Conti squad, but Rebellin will get a chance to shine in the classics at least one more time.

“The team will race where they are invited. At the moment we will go to the Tirreno-Adriatico, [Milan-] San Remo and other Classics. That’s where I want to be strong,” Rebellin told MARCA, according to VeloNews.

“Last year we won and I think I can do it again because I feel good, motivated and strong. I want to record new victories.”