Video: Marcato improves in WorldTour races

Having claimed third in the Tour of Poland, Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil-DCM) has confirmed his abilities in the biggest races.

“This year is my first year in WorldTour and I’m happy," he told Cyclingnews in a video interview. “I mature every year."

In fact the 27-year-old Italian has already shown himself at the ProTour level in the past: 8th in the Tour of Poland (2009), 8th in Amstel Gold Race (2010), 9th in GP Plouay (2010) and 10th in the Vattenfall Cyclassics (2010). His team, where he's ridden for three years, has joined the first division only last winter, though.

This year Marcato finished 15th in Milan-San Remo and secured two top-ten stage placings in his first Tour de France. He says he was, “in good condition” after the Tour and now can claim team leader’s status at “stages races, not so long, not with very long climbs, like here [at the Tour of Poland]."

Next year he says he will be more ambitious, notably on the Ardennes Classics and a Grand Tour, either the Giro d'Italia or Tour de France.

By the end of the year Marcato might race the world championships in Copenhagen, even if the parcours seems too flat for him. “The Italian coach [Paolo Bettini] called me and I’m happy," he said. “In the team I always help the sprinters so I know how to bring them into a good position in a sprint."