Despite being 39 years of age, Matteo Tosatto has no intention of stopping his career. Having been asked to continue by Team Saxo-Tinkoff owner Bjarne Riis and team captain Alberto Contador, the Italian recently renewed his contract for two years, with an option to enter the staff in 2016.

With 28 grand tours under his belt, Matteo Tosatto is one of the most experienced riders in the professional peloton and he will put his knowledge to good use in 2014 and 2015. The Italian has decided to continue his career and has renewed his expiring contract which will now see him being part of the roster for another two years.

With stage wins in the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Paris-Nice on his palmares, Tosatto has proved that he is a rider capable of winning races himself. However, his trade has been that of a domestique, first as a valuable part of Alessandro Petacchi's train at Fassa Bortolo, later as a lead-out man for Tom Boonen at Quick Step and now as an invaluable support rider for Alberto Contador at Saxo-Tinkoff on the flat stages in the grand tours.

Actually, Contador asked the veteran Italian to stay in the peloton for another two years.

"[It is ] a reward for my seriousness, a recognition of my career," he told La Tribuna di Treviso. "Riis and Contador have expressed esteem for me. They told me: "There are few riders like you, you have to continue!""

Tosatto discussed the situation with his team during the Tour de France where he rode in support of Contador and finalized the agreement at the world team time trial championships. He signed the contract in mid-October

 "I will not match Voigt or other colleagues who are already in their 40s," he said. "I have never set targets of this kind, nor have I ever raced, thinking it was my last year. I've always been focused on doing my best and last season I felt even better than before. "

Tosatto still hasn't finalized his race schedule but expects it to be more or less similar to this year. With the Tour de France having a stage on cobbles and Tosatto being a former top 10 finishes in the Paris-Roubaix, he expects to be back in France for a 10th participation in the Grande Boucle.

"I'd like to start already at the end of January, in Argentina or Down Under," he said. "I will do the classics in the first part of the season, then we will evaluate my season. Given that Contador is almost guaranteed to do the Tour, I should ride in France. With wind and cobbles, you need a strong team for the flat stages."

The contract has an option that will allow Tosatto to become part of the staff in 2016.