There are great expectations for Cannondale-Garmin in 2015. The team is loaded with young riders and team manager Jonathan Vaughters is eager to see how they will fare in their first season with the merged team.

"We are a team with many so many young riders and lots of them are more geared to the stage races than to the one-day races," he told LA Gazzetta dello Sport. We have a lot of talent, in part thanks to the Italian riders. But this season will serve to gain experience. I am also curious to see what kind of results they will get."

Davide Formolo is among the greatest talents and Vaughters has great faith in the Italian.

"In the future, he will win the Giro d'Italia. No doubt. But I don't know whether it is a wise decision to make him ride already this year. There are too many expectations. For a guy with no experience, it is already challenging to do a three-week race. If you also have to think about getting a result and take care of the media, it is risky. I am more in favour of sending him to the Vuelta."

Vaugters also spoke about Moreno Moser who seeks revival after a few disappointing years.

"He had an excellent first season as a pro, but perhaps his character is a bit vulnerable and he got a lot of attention because of his name. He has talent. We have to find suitable races to avoid too much pressure."

The American manager also ventured into the discussion about doping and Astana.

"In my team there is always zero tolerance to doping and that will also be the case here. In ten years, we have not had a single positive test and never had a problem. It's something that makes me proud. As for UCI and Astana, I do not know the facts. But it is wrong that it is more important to win than to be clean. I prefer to win five races with no positive tests instead of winning fifty and have one rider test positive."