Simon Gerrans is one of the classiest riders in the professional peloton, and he joined a highly exclusive club in 2009. By claiming stages in the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana he became one of the few riders to win stages in all three Grand Tours, following his stage victory in the 2008 Tour de France.

The Australian, from Melbourne, specialises in infiltrating, and then winning from, small breakaways - he is therefore likely to be one of the riders that Team Sky will be counting on. A leader, in other words. But he says he will be in good company.

"I think we have plenty of guys who'll be competitive across the board, from the classics to the Grand Tours and smaller races," says Gerrans. "We can win races - I'm sure of that. We've got a bunch of really good bike riders, but no really big egos."

Gerrans knows what it's like to be involved with a new team from day one, having joined the Cervélo Test Team in 2009. The Swiss squad hit the ground running with several early wins, and he's confident Team Sky will enjoy similar success.

"As a rider you don't see all the work that goes into setting up a team. The riders are important, obviously, but I'm convinced a team is only going to be as good as the management. That's why I think we'll do well with Sky - it's a very well managed team, with an ethos that puts performance first. I really feel here that all the riders will be given the opportunity to race to the best of their ability."

As for his own goals, Gerrans, who came to cycling late, and as rehabilitation for a knee injury, is targeting the Ardennes classics and Tour de France. "The Ardennes classics [Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, all in April] are a big target, then the Tour," he says. "I'd love to win a stage of the Tour again."