Arredondo hoping to ride Tour de France in 2015

Image 1 of 4

Julián Arredondo (Trek Factory Racing) could be destined for his debut at the Tour de France in 2015. In an interview with Argentinian website Ciclismo Internacional, Arredondo revealed that he was on the long-list of riders for next year's Grand Boucle.

"The first part (of the season) I will be focussing on the Classics and in the second I am on the list for the Tour de France," he told the website. "I hope that it's my first Tour de France. At the end of the year, I hope to be in the top 20 in the WorldTour ranking."

The 26-year-old Arredondo turned professional with Trek this season and delivered on the promise he showed as an amateur, with two stage wins during his first race, the Tour de San Luis. Less than halfway into his opening season, Arredondo was thrown straight into his first Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia in May, where he went on to win a stage and the mountain's classification.

He must have been smiling when the Tour de France route was announced last month. With such little time trialling on the cards, it is a route that should favour the young Colombian. The pressure of expectation will be on Arredondo, however, after a strong debut pro season. He was cautious about his chances during the race and said that he wouldn't be looking to fight for the overall victory.

"No, for now I won't be fighting for the general classification," he explained. "I would like to be a protagonist in another way, because three weeks is a lot. I prefer the one-week races and the Classics. I've always admired Joaquim Rodríguez, I continue to admire the way he races."

After starting his year at San Luis in January, Arredondo closed it at the Japan Cup in October. It was a long year for the young rider who abandoned the Vuelta a España with fatigue. He confirmed that he would start his season a little later in 2015. "I won't go to San Luis, it's too close to the start of the season. My first race will be the Ruta del Sol," he said. "I'm pretty happy with my first season in the top flight, I did important things and now I hope a great 2015."