The second of the team’s neo-pro acquisitions for 2012, Salvatore Puccio caused a stir in 2011 by taking an accomplished solo victory in the under-23 Tour of Flanders.

The next great Italian Classics hope or not, Puccio will be given time to develop at Team Sky and find his feet as he moves up a level.

A constant presence in the fiercely competitive world of Italian under-23 racing, Puccio racked up wins in the Toscana – Coppa delle Nazioni and at Firenze-Viareggio, not to mention claiming top-five places at the prestigious Baby Giro.

But it is his win on the famous roads of Flanders which he is most proud of to date: “That day will forever remain etched in my memory,” he says. “It was my debut for the national team and was a period of good condition so I thought I might do well. I felt better with every kilometre I raced and once we reached the last 25km I was able to attack. To win was a great feeling.

“It is the Classics where I am probably at my best and if I continue to train hard, hopefully I can become a specialist on those types of courses. My hero is Oscar Freire and it would be great to be the same type of rider as him. I know I have a long way to go though until I am at that level – it’s a long way to the top.

“My first goal for next season is to get to know my other new team-mates and work hard so I can hopefully get some good results for the team. I also want to improve my English too – both written and spoken – so I can communicate with everyone well.”