Kurt-Asle Arvesen is one of the world's most experienced professionals, and one of the best, too. He belongs to an exclusive club of riders who have won stages in the three Grand Tours - claiming two in the Giro d'Italia, in 2003 and 2007, one in the team time trial stage of the 2006 Vuelta a Espana, and finally, but most famously, a road stage of the 2008 Tour de France.
That Tour stage was a popular victory for a stalwart of the CSC/Saxo Bank team, whose main role at the Tour has traditionally been to help team-mates. Indeed, so settled was Arvesen at Saxo Bank that, after six years with the Danish team, it was a tough choice to leave.
"For me it was a really hard decision," says the Norwegian. "But when I heard about Team Sky, and the people involved in it, I became more and more interested. I didn't have any good reason to leave my old team, I was successful there and I was treated well. But I don't regret the decision - there is a good atmosphere in Team Sky, and I think we will be really successful together."
Asked to describe what type of rider he is, Arvesen responds: "I'm a flexible type of rider. You can put me anywhere and I'll be okay. If I can prepare, I'll be decent - I'll be okay.
"My favourite races," he continues, "are the cobbled classics. But my role at Saxo Bank was as team captain, and I would love to do that here. I have some good results, but that's not the main thing for me. I want to be part of building this new team, and helping the young guys.
"Being part of the team that helped Carlos Sastre win the Tour de France was as satisfying for me as winning myself. It was a real high, knowing I'd done a good job for him. My personal ambition is to get in good shape for the classics and to be selected for the Tour."
