Several stage victories in the Giro d'Italia, a classic like Gent-Wevelgem and a return to Milan-Sanremo. And then two big appointments on the track: in March at the Worlds (the omnium and madison) and in August at the Olympics (the omnium). And then to finish on the road with the Worlds in Qatar. Elia Viviani's agenda is already full of goals, of events in which he wants to be a protagonist. However, Viviani still has to agree on his calendar with Sky.
This year the Italian won eight races on the road, including, for the first time, a stage of the Giro on the second day in Genova and stages in the Tour of Britain (three) and the Abu Dhabi Tour (two). On the track, he won a second European omnium title on October 18 in Grenchen (after 2014 in Guadeloupe) and at the Worlds he took silver in the madison with Liam Bertazzo and bronze in the omnium. He ended his season in Colombia with a third place in the omnium at the World Cup. It was a monster season that started on January 2 at the Revolution Series in Manchester and ended in Cali on November 1.
Viviani led the omnium in Cali before the points race but slipped to third.
"I could not control five or six riders," he told Gazzetta dello Sport."
"Probably I did not lose it in the points race but in the kilometre time trial (he finished 12th, ed.). It is not the performance I want. I should have used a bigger gear (he used 51-14, ed.). The track was faster than expected.
"I am very happy with how things went in the third race. In the rankings for the Olympic omnium, we are the first European nation. In Grenchen and Cali we scored 240 points (in the overall ranking Italy is third with 705 points against 793 for Australia and 790 for Colombia, ed.). We did what we wanted."
Viviani was not selected for the madison in Cali.
"Liam [Bertazzo] was more ready," Viviani said. "He will be my partner for the Worlds. Lamon and Consonni are gathering experience."
Viviani does not hesitate when asked to select his highlights.
"On the road, it wasd the Giro stage in Genvoa. On the track, it was the European Championships which I won," he said.
Viviani has now turned his attention to 2016.
"I have a meeting on November 18," he said. "My idea is to repeat the program from this year which was fine for me. Starting with about three weeks of road race before the track worlds (at Lee Valley Park in London from March 2 to 6, ed.)"
That includes a return to the Dubai Tour where he won a stage in 2015.
"Yes, but I do not know if I will start with the Mallorca Challenge (January 28 to 30, ed)," he said when asked about the race in the UAE.
"Then I want to return to San Remo (March 19) and do Tirreno, the Giro and then have a period of rest as I did this year, before the Olympics. Then we have to see how I can arrive at the Worlds in Qatar (October 16)."
The goals are clear.
"Obviously the greatest possible number of stages in the Giro," he said. "But the next step is to win a classic, like Milan-Sanremo or Ghent-Wevelgem (March 27)."
Viviani has had the chance to meet his new teammates.
"We saw each other at a gathering in London," he said. "I have known Kwiatkowski for many years but I didn't know the others."
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