Katusha leader Joaquím Rodriguez is unyielding in his desire to try to win both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España in a single season despite his own failure to do so in 2012 and even though the last successful attempt at achieving the Giro-Vuelta double dates back to 2008 when Rodriguez’ compatriot Alberto Contador accomplished the feat.

“My first target will be the Giro, which suits me the most of the Grand Tours, above all with such a long time trial in the Tour de France this year right at the end of the race,” Rodriguez told Cyclingnews.com in an interview. “But I’m very keen to have a crack at the Vuelta again, too.”

In 2012 Rodriguez attempted the double win in the Italian and the Spanish Grand Tours but fell short, albeit just.

“For sure it’s feasible. I only lost the Giro in 2012 in the last time trial by 17 seconds and I came very close in the Vuelta that year, too and lost that one because of an error. If I’m able to be in good form, then why not try for both?”

On the one-day front, Rodriguez has some unfinished business too, he revealed in the interview. Second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and a silver medallist in the World Championships in 2013, he is determined to go one better in both, if possible in 2014.

“The World’s will be another big objective. It’s going to be a very special race in Spain whatever happens because racing an event like that in your own country automatically gives you an extra degree of motivation. And as a race, anyway, the World’s is such a good one that I couldn’t ignore it if I wanted to.”

In a repeat of his 2013 start to the season, Rodriguez will start his year again in the Tour of San Luis, Argentina, “even if it’s almost impossible for me to win, the South American riders are all in top shape because they’re right at the end of their season. But the good weather is always a huge plus about going there. And then I’ll go on to Dubai.”

“In Oman, after two preparation races, even if I’m not on top of my game, I’ll be getting there and should be able to fight for a stage win.” That was the case in 2013, with Rodriguez winning on the Green Mountain, Oman’s hardest stage, “where I was pleasantly surprised to see I was actually in a good enough condition to fight for a victory on a mountain stage so early on.”

Rodriguez’ first big objective of 2014, though, remains the Giro or the Liège-Bastogne-Liège:

“They’re my two favourite races on the calendar, and winning either would be amazing.”