24 year old Liquigas talent, Daniel Oss, is steadily refining his form ahead of his much sought after first highlights of the season: the Cobbled Classics. The young Trento native has gotten his season off to a superb start with a plethora of top finishes starting with a second and third on stages of the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria at the end of January, followed by a third place in the first stage of the Giro di Sardegna, then capped off this week with 5th in the opening team time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico and third place in yesterday's bunch sprint finish in Perugia.
Oss has shown himself capable over an array of terrain and finishes. His powerful build, strength, and quick finish make him an unquestioned rider for the future. The only question is whether the future is now.
Writing on his website, the 2010 Giro del Veneto winner is gaining more and more confidence with each passing day.
"Today, I woke up at six for a beautiful, but tough 240 kilometers to deal with. Almost a northern classic. In the end, I finished a lively stage with 3000 meters of climbing still feeling fresh."
Oss finished 60th on the day, over six minutes in arrears of his Grand Tour winning teammates, Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali. His
"After a time trial and two days for the sprinters, the climbers got their chance. Caruso, Nibali, and Basso, Liquigas's climbers, fulfilled the expectations and played the race out up front. Basso finished in fourth with a great final climb and is now third overall! It means that the team is working well, and we can still play our cards in the next stages."
Basso's chances at the overall will certainly take precedent over Oss's ambitions for the rest of Tirreno-Adriatico, but Oss's time should come soon. He'll get top billing within the Liquigas team starting next weekend at Milano-Sanremo and all the way through the cobbled classics, which culminate in the Tour of Flanders on April 3rd and Paris-Roubaix on April 10th.
Oss is ready for his third go at the races for the sport's hardmen.
"Meanwhile, on a personal level, I feel really good. Even today, despite a finish not suited to my characteristics and yesterday's sprint still in my legs, I felt good. I feel a wave of confidence in view of races to come."