For his first year in the pro peloton, Simon Yates finished 7th at the Tour of Slovenia, 12th at the Vuelta Cyclist al Pais Vasco and 19th at the Tour of Alberta. The Orica GreenEDGE Cycling Team rider is satisfied with his performance, even if he broke his collarbone this spring.

"I started the year positively and was going well at races like Paris-Nice and the Tour of the Basque Country, but then I crashed and broke my collarbone at the Tour of Turkey in April and ended up missing some key races at the end of the spring and start of the summer" he told Sky Sports.

"I have learnt that it’s important to take a step back and ask yourself if you’re doing too much. You need to get your rest in, otherwise you’re going to be cooked before May."

He was able to return in time for the Tour de France, his first grand tour. "Fortunately, I bounced back pretty well with a seventh-place finish at the Tour of Slovenia, and then I ended up riding the Tour de France, which was obviously an incredible experience. After that I finished the season well by going strongly in Canada, where I helped Simon Gerrans win both the GP de Quebec and GP de Montreal, which was great."

"So it’s been a good year, but I just feel that without breaking my collarbone, I might have been able to step it up another level and maybe get that first win, which in the end eluded me. Still, it has been a great experience and I’ve really enjoyed getting the opportunity to go on the attack and join breakaways."

Now, the Australian rider think about next season. After studying the course of three three week races, he announced that he would like to be at the start of the Tour de France. "I haven’t fully discussed it with the team yet, but I’m personally aiming to ride the Tour de France again. This year I was a bit fortunate to get in the team - a case of being in the right place at the right time - but next year I know I will have to work for a spot. Riding it this year was such a big experience, but unfortunately, I didn’t get to finish the race after falling ill, so it would be good to go back, do the full three weeks and get to ride into Paris."

"The 2015 route is also quite hilly and should suit me, and there are potentially plenty of opportunities to go for stage wins. I actually wasn’t a million miles away when I got into a couple of breakaways at this year’s Tour, so I know that there will be chances for a rider like myself."