Enric Mas from the Specialized U23 team has been invited by Bjarne Riis' Tinkoff-Saxo team to join the next training camp of the Russian team in Sicily from Januay 9. The Mallorcan rider who turns 20 on January 6, is the first rider from the Alberto Contador Foundation to get a chance at a top team one year after Alvaro Cuadros was the first to join a continental team when he signed a contract with the Etixx team which was then a feeder team for Omega Pharma-Quick Step.
Fran Contador, manager of the Foundation, believes that the invitation means that they have met one of their objectives which is to train riders and help them become professionals. As we still do not have a professional team in the Alberto Contador Foundation, we take use our contacts with that team to give our riders these opportunities."
Enric Mas will now get a chance that has been given to "riders like Majka and Valgren", Fran Contador adds. "This does not mean that they will sign Enric Mas, but it is important that a rider from the Foundation goes to the training camp of Tinkoff-Saxo which have great riders like Alberto and Peter Sagan. It is a great experience for Enric and motivation for everybody."
For Mas, the invitation to the training camp is "a dream come true, because going to a camp with the best team in the world can be the beginning of a long road. I hope to learn a lot and that someday I can take part in another camp as part of the team."
"Mainly, I want to learn and enouy the experience of being with riders who have been my idols since I was a child. If I have a minimum of forces, I will try to make them aware of me.
"Next year the first objective is to do this camp at a good level and then go to Vuelta al Bidasoa, La Copa de España and el Valenciaga, the Giro de Aosta and Palencia. I hope to be good in the final of those races.
"I think it's the most important year of my career, because if I have any luck and I do well, I may be able to make the jump to the professional level."
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