For Nikias Arndt, life hasn’t always been easy at Team Giant-Alpecin. Despite having a palmares that includes a Dauphine stage, he finds himself as the third or fourth choice sprinter in a team whilst on any other squad, he would have plenty of chances. But Arndt has had another good year, winning races and working selflessly for others, and with Marcel Kittel and Luka Mezgec departing for 2016, the German has spoken to CyclingQuotes about getting more chances for himself in 2016.

“I had a nice season in 2015. I made another step in my development as a rider and could celebrate really nice and important victories with the team. My level was higher than last year, although I didn't have so many results. Over the year I did a lot of races as a lead out rider or just to support my teammates,” Arndt told CyclingQuotes.

Ardnt has a strong sprinting pedigree, with a Dauphine stage win in 2014 his biggest success. In 2015, he found wins harder to come by, with podiums taken from Qatar in February all the way to the Sparkassen Giro last weekend, his second last race of the year. It had been almost 15 months since his Dauphine win when he arrived at the Tour of Alberta, and after Michael Matthews edged him out on stage two, Arndt produced a lethal sprint to beat the Aussie to the line and release all the pressure that had pent up over the year.

“It was a big relief. My goal for this year was to win again a race and it didn't work for a long time. That it happened in Canada was just great. We worked hard in the stage and my teammates made a perfect lead out so it was nice that I could finish it off.”

Arndt has often admitted that he isn’t the fastest guy in the race and sometimes that’s why he loses races, but one race that really hurt the 23 year old was his national road race, where he lost a two up sprint on a hard course to Bora-Argon 18’s Emmanuel Buchmann. That was a contrasting emotion to what he had felt just a few days prior to the road race, when he produced another great ride to take second in the time trial behind Tony Martin, who Ardnt says is virtually unbeatable in that race for now.

“It would take a few more years and a big big effort to get the level of Tony, so that isn't my goal for the next years. It was great to be again second in the TT, that proved my good level of the year. The road race was already more disappointing. When you are so close to win a race it is always hard to become second. Especially in Championship races, at the end it is just about the jersey and I missed that one. So this is one goal for the next years…”

One of the reasons Arndt and Giant-Alpecin are such a great fit is because Arndt is a willing worker and leadout man for his leaders, and the team are confident that when he leads the team, he can deliver. He played key roles in helping John Degenkolb win Paris-Roubaix and Tom Dumoulin take third in the Tour de Suisse.

Now though, two of the men who sprint in the big races, Luka Mezgec and Marcel Kittel, have opted to change teams for 2015. This means that while Arndt will have to still help Degenkolb, Dumoulin and Warren Barguil, he and fellow sprinter Ramon Sinkeldam will be allowed to lead the team in more races, meaning more pressure but more opportunities, particularly in a Grand Tour.

“It was a nice time with Luka in the team and we had a lot of nice races together. Now we have to see what is coming next and make new goals for next year. We didn't speak in detail about next year, that will follow at the team meeting in October. But I will get a few more races where I'm the guy for the sprints. Hopefully also in a grand tour in 2016.”

One race Arndt wants to really do well in next year is Milan-Sanremo, after he missed the race through sickness this year. Teammate Degenkolb is the leader and defending champion, but in 2014, he was in a good position to win and punctured on the Cipressa. Race over. Arndt wants to be there in 2016 to help his compatriot and act as Plan B if required.

“I hope that I can do Milano-Sanremo. This year I was there but I became sick and wasn't able to start. That was a hard moment in my cycling career.”

Arndt has high praise for his team and how quickly and effectively they have helped him grow and develop as a rider. He has outlined further development for 2016, as well as winning more than one race in a season for the first time in his short career as his big goals for 2016.

“My goals are to show that I made steps in the last year. Win more than just one race and if I am able to be the sprinter in a grand tour, I hope to sprint there on the podium.”