Rory Townsend's hopes of making his Grand Tour debut this year have been given a significant boost with the news that his Q36.5 team has been invited to La Vuelta, after already securing a sport at the Giro d'Italia.
The addition of Tom Pidcock to the team's roster this year, and the form he has been in, has strengthened its hand as a ProContinental team depending on wild card invites to the Grand Tours.
And though news of the Giro invite was already known before now, the Vuelta has today set out the full set of teams that will be in this year's race, with the Irish rider's squad securing one of those slots.
Also invited are Burgos Burpellet BH and Team Caja Rural-RGA, though there is no place for Kern Pharma, the Spanish ProContinental team that won three stages of the race last year, via Pablo Castrillo and Urko Berrade.
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Townsend (29) is currently in his second year of a two-year contract with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and also previously rode for Bolton Equities Black Spoke, which was also a ProConti team.
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team said its general manager, Doug Ryder, was "nearly speechless with excitement" after the Swiss-registered team was confirmed for the Vuelta.
“I’m absolutely thrilled about this invitation," he said. "La Vuelta has been a key goal for us this year. With a strong group of Spanish riders and staff, the energy within our team is electric.
"Although this will be our first time competing in La Vuelta as a team, 15 of our 25 riders have experience in the race, with some securing stage podiums, victories, and even wearing the iconic red leader’s jersey.
"It is a tough undulating and mountainous race which suits us. There is also an individual and a team time trial to tackle. I have no doubt that we will make an impact from the opening stage in Piemonte, Italy, all the way to the grand finale in Madrid.”
