Kiel Reijnen wants to have success outside of America in 2015 and is hoping his UnitedHealthcare team can earn an invitation to the Giro d’Italia to take part in their debut Grand Tour, where he has a genuine chance of winning an uphill sprint and Janez Brajkovic can challenge for GC.

Reijnen is aware that people try to latch onto riders who are successful, but don’t care when they lose. He says he isn’t devastated when he loses, but he hates to disappoint his teammates who have worked so hard to help him. He tries as often as possible to repay the favour too, as he told Cyclingnews.

"The races I got results at, there wasn't a single rider or staff member that didn't contribute to that result," he said. "The team believed in me and we had a plan, and we executed the plan. When that all works - there are so many variables in cycling, when you can control the majority of them, it's pretty special."

"I had some fun days where we didn't win or podium, but worked well as a team," he said, picking out one particularly satisfying day in the Tour of Utah, on the penultimate stage. "I got in the break with Lucas [Euser], which was the plan at the beginning of the day - and I can't believe that worked because it's such a crap shoot. BMC had Cadel [Evans] bridge across. Both his guys and I were motivated to get the break to stick so Cadel and Lucas could have a shot at the stage win. I enjoy riding my guts out like that for a buddy. It's a good feeling to leave it all out there."

"Colorado was that way, too - winning was fun, it was amazing, but the way we won was what made it significant - especially battling it out with Alex. It gives it meaning. You work really hard to win, but we also work hard to be good teammates, and to come up with these plans and execute them. It reinforces that it's all worth it, that it can come together like that."

Reijnen capped off a great season with selection for the Worlds Road Race, which he says isn’t about talent, its about teamwork and who can work best to get the leader into a position to battle for the rainbow Jersey.

"There are a lot of phenomenal American riders out there, but I think what's most important to the riders is that the group that ends up at the race is the group that will race best together," Reijnen said. The philosophy was not just a one-off for 2014, and he expects it will continue for Richmond in 2015, where the US team gets nine spots for hosting the Worlds. "It wasn't about the six most talented guys, it was about the six who could work together. A lot of the decision making came down to that, and will come down to that for Richmond."

“What you see about the new generation is a lot of camaraderie. We're all really good friends, we've known each other a long time. The guys who know the course doesn't suit them, they'll be the first to step aside. That's pretty unique. I don't think there are a lot of national teams that are that unselfish."

He gave some insight into what his individual job for that day in Ponferrada was, although he says he didn’t actually have to do his job, thanks to a certain Pole who now wears a Rainbow Jersey, who sent his team to the front from km zero and they parked themselves there all day.

"My job was to be attentive in the middle part of the race, to watch for attacks and cover anything that went. But that never happened. The pace the Polish team set nullified everything. Every single guy on their team was strong, and they plowed ahead all day long."

He hopes he can have a chance to lead the team in Richmond, Virginia at a home worlds, on a course he says suits him much better.

"I had higher expectations for Worlds," he admitted. "It was hard to get an idea of what the course was like. The Spanish media was downplaying how much climbing there was, even going as far as calling it a sprinter's course. I didn't see a sprinter's course. All of the sprinters were ridden out of the race. I think Richmond suits me better."

Reijnen says he doesn’t need to be on a WorldTour team as he believes he can invites with UnitedHealthcare to the races he really wants to ride.

"I'm not opposed to being on a WorldTour team, but my schedule is about the same as my friends in the WorldTour. The difference is I'm on a team that's US-based, I don't have to fly to Spain for team camp. I like the mentality here, the professionalism. What's the difference if you're both on the start line for Milan-San Remo?"

"For me, what's more relevant is what kind of team I'm on, more than its ranking. Is it nice to be on the number one ranked team? I'm sure it is. They have more resources, and bigger budgets. But that doesn't mean their mentality lines up with mine. I wouldn't go to a team just because of their ranking. There are certainly lots of WorldTour teams that have wonderful programs, and have mentalities that work with my style of racing," he said.

But the WorldTour isn’t for everyone, as plenty of neo-pros have proved in recent seasons, such as Evan Huffman, who spent a few seasons at Astana and is now racing in America for 2015, where he can once more shine again.

"Some guys just disappear when they go [to the WorldTour] - it can be shocking for a lot of riders. I don't do well when I'm told to just go do your best. I need more guidance, more specificity. That's what this team has done well for me, and it has helped me get results.”

UnitedHealthcare have clearly outlined that they want to ride the Giro, by signing three Italians (Marco Canola, Daniele Ratto and Federico Zuolo) to go with Italians Davide Frattini and Alessandro Bazzanza who are already at the team. They also have recruited a genuine GC man in Janez Brajkovic, 2010 Dauphine winner and he has Grand Tour pedigree, with a top ten in the 2012 Tour. Reijnen wants to make the Giro his first goal of the season, where he can shine in the reduced bunch kicks.

"A lot of the early season will be the build-up for the Giro. It will be 100 percent from mid-January [he starts in Tour de San Luis] through the Giro if we make the selection. Before the Giro we have Milan-San Remo and hopefully a couple of Ardennes Classics. I want to be on fire for those."

"I think results come with having that experience. I'm looking forward to getting more comfortable in the bigger races. Now that I've done them a few times, I have more of an idea what I'm getting into. I hope to have more success there."

Reijnen is confident that should the team receive a Giro wild card, they will show themselves and do well and get good results, rather than just becoming pack fillers and riding around Italy aimlessly for three weeks.

"The team's done a lot of work to be in the position to be ready to take on a Grand Tour. We spent a lot of time to be fully prepared to commit to that. When we say we're pushing to get in, we take it very seriously."

"The Giro is unpredictable, but there are a lot of punchy finishes that would suit me. I've never ridden a Grand Tour, but I have ridden with enough guys that have to have reason enough to believe I could make it. It would be an eye opening experience for sure."