At just 27 years of age - he will turn 28 in January - Rigoberto Uran will do his 10th professional season in Europe in 2015. The Colombian is in his best age and beleives that it is time to take another step up.

Having finished second in the last two Giri d'Italia - behind Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana respectively - and sexond at the 2012 London Olympics, Uran's ambition is to turn those results into victories. He doesn't know his schedule yet and will have to decide whether to do the Tour de France or the Giro d'Italia. However, he is ready for whatever comes.

"All I know is that the team decides and in 2015 I will go where they send me but it's time to win something big in these important races," he says in an interview with El Colombiano.

A new appointment in his calendar could be the Colombian Championships which will now be held in the first week of February to attract the biggest stars riding in Europe. Uran wants to comquer the champion's jersey. "I hope to be at the National Championships in Antioquia and win the tricolor jersey to wear it proudly in Europe. It would be nice and I hope my team will allow me to ride at the championships," he explains. "Because you know that you are representing Colombia; because it is a jersey that is important due to the growth of cycling in the country where it is difficult to win any race. This is a big commitment with much weight," he says.

The Colombian finished his 9th professional season with a second place in the Giro like in 2013, this time behind Quintana after a bih battle, a consistent performance and a stage win in the Barolo time trial. Earlier in the year he was third in the Tour of Oman, 31st in Tirreno-Adriatico, 30th in Catalunya and 14th in Romandie. During his return in August, he fought the best in the Vuelta until he had no choice but to withdraw due to sickness. He returned at the Worlds where he finished 27th, abandoned in Lombardy and finished ninth in Beijing.

He started his career in Tenax in 2006, rode for Unibet in 2007, Caisse d'Epargne from 2008 to 2010 and Sky from 2011 to 2013 before he joined  Omega Pharma-Quick Step/Etixx-Quick Step on a two-year contract. In addition to his second places in the 2013 and 2014 Giro, his two Giro stage wins and his silver medal at the 2012 Olympics, he has won stages in the Tour de Suisse and the Volta a Catalunya and the Giro del Piemonte semi-classic and has finished on the podium in Il Lombardia twice.