Filippo Ganna said he will enjoy more freedom and a team-leader position at the 2022 Ineos Grenadiers to pursue his potential not only in individual time trials but also in road races, including the Classics

The Italian will start the season on Wednesday at the Etoile des Besseges.

"I've talked to the team. This year I have more opportunities and I will be given more full authority because I have the team at my disposal," Ganna told La Gazzetta dello Sport (open in new tab).

"The calendar is designed for me. It will be a good opportunity to show that I am neither a time triallist nor a track rider."

"It will be a good opportunity to show that I am not a time triallist or a track rider.

After the Etoile des Besseges, Ganna will compete in the UAE Tour and Paris-Nice, and will also shine in Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix.

In July, the time trial world champion will make his Tour de France debut and is favored to win his first yellow jersey in the race in Copenhagen.

"I'm working on my abs and upper body more than usual to take on Paris-Roubaix. Once that's done, I'll have to drop some weight for the Tour," Ganna said.

"My physique is in an 'up and down' phase; I can't be a 70-75 kg climber, it's unnatural and I can't allow myself to do it. But Cancellara was over 80 kg when he was in yellow, and he defended himself well many times on the climbs.

"We'll see what happens. It's a "new" year for me. I don't do a lot of track, but I might be at the European Championships in Munich in August.

Ganna has so far revealed nothing, but La Gazzetta dello Sport suggested Tuesday that he will likely challenge the world hour record in Manchester in late August or early September.

The 25-year-old is already the world record holder in individual pursuit at sea level and helped the Italian quartet break the world record at last year's Tokyo Olympics in the process of winning gold in team pursuit.

Ganna still has two seasons left on his contract with the Ineos Grenadiers and has indicated that he may extend his time with the team after his contract ends in 2023.

"I don't think they'll let me go easily," he joked.

"If I've become a player like Ganna, then the credit goes to them. The support they have given me is not something that everyone else offers."

Ganna also expressed support for teammate Egan Bernal, who suffered life-threatening injuries in an accident while training in Colombia last week.

Doctors at Clínica Universidad de La Sabana are optimistic about Bernal's recovery, but he remains hospitalized after suffering fractures of the vertebrae, femur, kneecap, and ribs, chest trauma, and a collapsed lung.

"He has always bounced back from his problems, and I am confident this time will be no different," Ganna said.