In recent years, several Colombians have gone on from winning the Tour de l'Avenir to shine at the pro level. The next rider who hopes to follow that path is reigining Avenir champion and new Astana rider Miguel Angel Lopez.

Miguel Angel Lopez has had a confusing start to his professional career. He has joined the top level of cycling through the front door but the news and rumours around the Astana team have made recent weeks tumultous for the neo-professional. It all ended happily with the decision to grand the team a WorldTour license and Lopez is now trying to deal with the shock.

At the same time, he knows that he is a newcomer to the pro level and that he will gradually have to find his place. Biciciclismo talked to the youngster at the Astana training camp in Calpe.

"It is one of the biggest teams in the world, a very powerful team and also like a very close family. I have everything I need, the logistics are amazing and it feels even more amazing when you come from a small team to the top of cycling where everything is available," he said. He hopes to shine in the mountains and works to improve his time trialling. "In a big team like ours, the time trial is very important. I am very comfortable with the equipment from Specialized. It is the best. You have to train a lot to gradually improve," he told the Spanish website.

The first gathering in Montecatini Terme served the purpose of getting rid of his fears and his experiences in Calpe have strengthened his belief in the new team. He is ready to learn but he is not denying that he has lofty dreams. "I want to grow and become more mature - and win the Tour de France. If you know about the history of the sport, it has to be the biggest dream. It is the most important. There are also the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana but the Tour is more important. In cycling I think you have to have high aspirations and to set big goals," he said when asked to tell about his aims. He is open to the idea of doing a grand tour next year. "It's very complicated but if I go well, it will be easier. The important thing is to ride well," he said.

As a good climber, Lopez usually shines on the steep slopes. "I am new to professional cycling and being in one of the best teams, I will have to stay quiet. My goal is to learn a lot and to matue by watching great riders like Nibali and Aru and being close to the winners. To win a race? In some mountains stages, I want to be in contention. It is my specialty and I want to be in front. I'm a climber and if I have the chance, I will try to win but the goal is to be in contention, "he said.

His overall win in the Tour de l'Avenir and the stage win in La Rosiere was the best start. Like Johan Esteban Chaves, like Nairo Quintana, like the biggest names in professional cycling, he has excelled in the French race. "The idea is to follow that line. Nairo won the Tour de l'Avenir and then the Giro and was second in the Tour. He is also very young and has already achieved great results. But I have to do it slowly and stay calm," he said.

First he needs to adapt and get to know the routines. A few days ago, I was presented to the rest of the team who wanted to know him better. "I am already part of the team," he said. "Most speak Italian and some speak English. I am fortunate there there are two Spanish teammates and although the rest of them speak very little Spanish, they understand a lot and that helps me."

Lopez will also have to deal with the homesickness that has often been a problem for Colombian riders in Europe, especially the younger ones. The desire to do well has led hom to leave family and friends but he will soon return to his home country. "I have already booked a flight on December 18," he said, admitting that he is looking forward to seeing his familu.

Between the two team gathering, he spent a few days in Murcia with new teammate Luis Leon Sanchez: "I went to Murcia to be close to Luis León and train close to him. I could not go to Colombia as I could only have been able to stay there for two days. This was the most logical. I trained there for a few days. I met Valverde and I trained with him one day. I liked the climate and the environment. " Everything is very different from what he experiences in his home country. "I live in Boyacá, near Sogamoso. There I train in Tunja, Paipa, Duitama or in the mountains of El Crucero and Aquitania where there is a very nice climb at 3000 meters of altitude. I am close to Nairo and Anacona in Tunja and people from Colombian teams.

Lopez will have to plan his time between staying in Europe and Colombia. He needs to learn how to piece the puzzle together. "Now I will spend New Year in Colombia and then I return to Europe on January 10 for a training camp until January 25. I prefer to stay in Europe until the team presentation in early February and then I will go to Colombia for about twenty days to prepare for the first race which will be in Malaysia in early March."

Lopez will use the Tour de Langkawi and the famous climb of Genting Highlands as a launching pad. In recent years, it has been a happy hunting ground for South Americans. "I don't know what I will do after Malaysia. I imagine that I will train and race in Europe before I return to Colombia. I don't know what my schedule will be until we have finished the training camp" he said.

Lopez has earned the Superman nickname after emerging unscathed from a few setbacks. First when he resisted an attack by thieves who wanted to steal his bike after training and suffered. Then when he recovered from a hard collision with a car which forced him to go through a long rehabilitation of almost a year in 2013.