Fleeman's sole focus is Italian Job
The Lichfield native – who won the Tour Des Pyrenees last year – has joined the Cervelo test team and has already secured a spot in the prestigious Tour of Italy in May.
There he will be one of several Cervelo team riders hoping to help Sastre follow up his Tour De France title.
Freeman told Mercury Sport: "Signing with Cervelo really came about from when I won the Tour des Pyrenees.
"It's a big step forward because Cervelo is one of the three biggest teams in the world – there are 25 riders of 15 different nationalities.
"Because I'm a good climber, I'll be doing stage races and pretty much doing a similar programme to Carlos.
"The team really want me to concentrate on the Tour of Italy and it will be my job to help Carlos in the mountains.
"So I will get to spend a lot of time with him and plenty of chance to pick up a few things.
"With a team the size of ours, to finish tenth in the race wouldn't mean a thing – they are in it to win. So it makes more sense from a team perspective for all eight riders to help one win."
Fleeman is unfamiliar with long races – the Tour of Italy lasts 21 days rather than the usual eight or ten he competes for.
And that is the main reason he is focusing on the Italian event and leaving the decision on whether to race in the Tour de France up to his team.
He added: " I don't know how I'm going to get on – I might find that after ten days I'm on my knees because it will be completely unchartered territory for me.
"I don't really want to do two Tours because it's my first year.
"Plus this year is the 100th anniversary of the Tour of Italy and if you look at the line-up it's going to be as big a race as the Tour de France.
"If I did really well, they might ask me how I feel about riding the Tour but realistically it might be a bit much this year and I'll be aiming for 2010 instead."
Despite the weather, Fleeman has been training hard over the holidays in preparation for his first race of the year in Malaysia next month.
Then he will tackle courses in Switzerland and Spain before Italy.
Below: Lichfield cyclist Dan Fleeman is all set for his first Tour of Italy with the new Cervelo team – but is eyeing up the Tour de France in 2010.
Comment on this story