Even though he will end 2016 on the track, 2017 will be almost exclusively focused on the road for Elia Viviani. After a well-deserved Olympic triumph in the omnium, the greatest Italian track rider will participate in the Six Days of Ghent.

“It’s the most famous of all the six days. There’ll be some big name riders in action and it could be Wiggins’ last race. It wasn’t actually part of plans for the winter but I couldn’t miss it. I haven’t raced on the track since Rio, so it’s going to be special,” Viviani explained to Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I certainly don’t have the form I had in Rio but for sure I feel rested. After the Abu Dhabi Tour I had eight days on holiday in the Maldives going from my room to the beach and back again. I slept 11 hours a day, my body totally switched off.”

From the end of the month he will begin to think about next season. For Viviani, 2017 will start on November 28 :

“I won’t ride any track World Cups or the World Championships in 2017. For two years I’m going to focus on the road, where I want to be the Elia that I wasn’t in 2016,” he explained.

“On November 28 I’ll start five weeks of really important training, building my strength and endurance. It’ll be important not to have any problems or injuries because this a key moment that will shape my new season.

“Milan-San Remo is my major goal of the season and that’s what I’ll be working towards during the winter. There’s also the Giro d’Italia. The first stage could be a bunch sprint, so the pink jersey is something to aim for.”

Viviani is still expected to do the Revolution Champions League in Manchester on November 25-26 and the Six Days of Rotterdam in January together with Filippo Pozzato.