While most of his fellow Omega Pharma-Quick Step teammates are busy enjoying the off-season, Matteo Trentin is cross racing in Italy.

The young Italian enjoys the off-season by cross racing, and he just finished twelfth in the Silvelle de Trebaseleghe, as the only participating professional road racer.

“I mix two cyclo-cross rides with two days on the track in Montichiari with some Omega Pharma-Quick Step teammates. A 'cross race is like doing a time trial effort and a points race at the same time. One hour in the dirt is like doing three on the road, you’ve got to use your head and listen to your body,” Trentin told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I’ve started 'cross riding after not doing it last year. I realised I was missing something. 'Cross helps you accelerate, brake and start again. I’m not going to win the races but it will help improve.”

In 2013 24-year-old Trentin proved an invaluable help to captain and rommate Cavendish, and helped him win five stages at the Giro d’Italia, and another two at the Tour de France. Most importantly, however, Trentin also managed a win at the French Grand Tour, and the young rider looks set for more success.

In Italy he is regarded as a promising young talent, and it of course helped that he, with his victory, ended a three-year Italian Tour de France drought.

Trentin revealed he will ride four races in the Giro d’Italia cross series before starting his 2014 season at the Tour Down Under in Australia.