Joel Suter: At UAE Team Emirates we're gearing up for a busy summer

Growing up in Frutigen, Switzerland, cycling was something that I developed a real affiliation and love for from a very young age.

As a child, you want to be out exploring and getting lost in your own fantasies and imagination. Exploring the beautiful Swiss mountain ranges and countryside went hand-in-hand with cycling, so once I started to develop a real taste for it as a young child I never looked back.

Switzerland has a rich cycling history and is a sport that is engrained within our culture. I always looked up to the great Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara, so having somebody to aspire to be as good as one day ensured I stayed motivated and driven to be the best cyclist than I can possibly be. Fast forward to today, and I currently live close to my teammate Marc Hirschi, so I have a training partner as well as close friend in the region.

I joined UAE Team Emirates quite late in the day, so coming into pre-season camp was a really exciting experience. I didn’t feel too daunted being one of the youngest riders in the team as I have great faith in my ability, but being around this elite group is beyond what I could have expected.

We have riders who have won some the biggest races in the world. We also boast some of the best coaches, nutritionists, and support staff in the sport, so the opportunities to capitalise on their expertise and continually learn are endless. This will not only benefit me, but all of the younger guys we have in our team.

I am working with a new coach this year which will only benefit me as a cyclist, furthering my tactical and physical capabilities when it comes to crucial moments in different races. Having said that, my preparation remains the same. This is what has gotten me to this moment, so I