Dowsett out to earn new Movistar contract

The 28-year-old is currently racing at the Abu Dhabi Tour and acutely aware of his need to impress coaches at his Spanish team in order to extend his five-year stay at one of the WorldTour's premier outfits.

But, with contracts rarely running to more than two years in the professional peloton, Dowsett insists the experience is not new to him.

The Essex boy is targeting this year's Giro d'Italia for a time trial stage win, but will also have to work to help team leader Nairo Quintana in his aims of winning the Maglia Rosa.

And he will also be aware of not falling into the trap of overconfidence that came following his breakthrough time trial win at the 2013 Giro.

"It's no different to any other year, just a bit jittery. You never want to have a bad year, but you definitely don't want to have one in a contract year," he told Cyclingnews.

"It'll be different because Nairo wants to win it so the priority 100 per cent lies with him. I've just got to prove I'm good enough to go to support him and then I'll get my opportunities in the time trials as well.

"In 2013 I beat [Sir Bradley] Wiggins. After that, I think because it was so big I was like, I am one of the best time trialists in the world. And I wasn't. I'm not.

"Geraint Thomas sent me a message and said, 'I've done 108 Grand Tour stages and never won one, you've done it in eight.'

"I very much thought that I was suddenly something pretty special, took my eye off the ball and it bit me in the arse."

Sportsbeat 2017