Sergio Henao (Sky) is the new leader of the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco after his victory on stage 3.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sergio Henao (Sky) on the podium after winning stage 3 at Pais Vasco.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Overnight race leader Sergio Henao (Sky) gave it his all to finish 14th on the stage, but was no match for Tony Martin who won the time trial and overall.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sergio Henao has said he is 'very likely' to stay at Team Sky, with the goal of riding the Tour de France in 2014 and becoming one of the British team's Grand Tour leaders in the future.
The 25 year-old Colombian is enjoying a break at home in Rionegro after helping teammate Rigoberto Uran finish second in the Giro d'Italia. He will be back in Europe in July to ride the Tour of Poland and the Vuelta a Burgos, before the Vuelta Espana, where he could be riding for Bradley Wiggins.
With Colombia currently the number-one ranked nation in cycling, Henao and his compatriots are also targeting the hilly world championships in Florence in September.
By then he will have probably signed his new contract with Team Sky.
"We have spoken with the general manager and even if nothing is confirmed and nothing is signed, it's likely that I'll stay with Sky," Henao said in an interview with Spanish language site Biciclismo.
"I have a lot of confidence in them and it's very important for me to know that all the team is counting on me too. The support of the management, my teammates and the support staff is important if you are to get good results. It's very likely that I'll continue with them because there are good plans for the future. I feel that I'll have the opportunity to continue to grow. I learned a lot in these two years but there's still much more left to learn. Someday I hope to be a team leader to fight for a podium or the in a Grand Tour."
Henao showed his talent by winning a stage at the Volta ao Algarve, taking a stage at the Tour of the Basque Country and finishing third overall and was second at Fleche–Wallonne behind Daniel Moreno (Katusha). He finished 16th overall at the Giro d'Italia after working hard for Uran.
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"I'm happy with my season so far. You have to understand that your body can't always be at its best. I was at my best in the Basque Country and the Classics and this year I realized that I can fight for them if I'm at 100%. Before that I also helped Chris Froome at Tirreno-Adriatico," he explained.
"For me the most important thing is to compete with honesty, be professional and have the ambition and the desire to be a protagonist. That's what gives you the enthusiasm to compete."
Working for Wiggo
Henao is suited to the hilly Vuelta race route but knows he may have to work for Wiggins.
"I'll be riding with ambition and desire. We'll see if Wiggins rides, I think he will after missing the Tour. If that's the case, I'll be giving it 100% to get ready and be prepared to help Wiggins be at his best."
Henao likes the hilly world championship course in Florence.
"We got to see the circuit a bit during the Giro and it seems to suit us. We're looking forward to having a high quality team with the maximum possible number of riders (nine) now that were number one on the WorldTour ranking. But if that's the case, we'll also be more careful in how we ride."
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