Both BMC Racing and Team Sky have announced their line-ups today for La Vuelta a España. The teams go into the race, which starts in France this Saturday, with big ambitions for stage and overall success. However, there has been mixed news in the team announcements for Nicolas Roche and Philip Deignan, above.
Mixed Vuelta news for Nicolas Roche, Philip Deignan
[wpbrad id=125]
Nicolas Roche has been confirmed for La Vuelta a España by BMC Racing. But Philip Deignan is not in the Team Sky line-up.
Both WorldTour outfits today confirmed their picks for the Vuelta, which gets underway later this week.
Roche’s ride in the race was anticipated; stickybottle confirming the news late last week.
However, it was unclear until today whether Philip Deignan would ride for Team Sky. Today when the team announced its picks, Deignan’s name was not on the list.
Advertisement
Chris Froome will lead Team Sky into the Vuelta. Also in the team are Wout Poels, Mikel Nieve, Diego Rosa and David Lopez.
And they are joined by Gianni Moscon, Salvatore Puccio, Ian Stannard and Christian Knees.
Nicolas Roche leading the Vuelta in 2013, when he also won a stage in the race. He took victory again two years later and will hope for more this time.
Deignan’s omission is a disappointment as the Vuelta is a race he has ridden very well in in the past; both for himself and Team Sky.
He has ridden it four times and took 9th overall in 2009 when he also won a stage.
Philip Deignan rode the Giro earlier this year, his 10th Grand Tour. And given the strength in depth within Team Sky, competition for places in Grand Tours is always intense.
Related News
For Nicolas Roche, BMC Racing is looking to him for the general classification, along with Tejay van Garderen and Samuel Sánchez.
As well as the overall, it will target stage wins, starting with the opening TTT in Nimes, France, this Saturday.
Sports director Yvon Ledanois said BMC Racing feels the riders it has selected could win that opening team test.
“For the general classification, we have a number of riders who can be up there, including Tejay van Garderen, Nicolas Roche and Samuel Sánchez,” he said.
“These riders are very motivated for a good result overall so we will take things day by day and see how the race plays out.
“I would like to see aggressive racing from all of our riders and with guys like Damiano Caruso, Alessandro De Marchi and Rohan Dennis, we have a good chance for stage wins.
“In Daniel Oss and Francisco Ventoso, we have two strong riders who will play an important role in protecting our leaders.
“And for Kilian Frankiny, who will make his Grand Tour debut, this will be a good learning experience for the future.”
In Philip Deignan’s absence, Team Sky still has a very strong team. And with the Tour de France Chris Froome’s sole victory this year, he is looking to win it.
“It certainly feels as if I’ve got unfinished business with this race,” he said. "I’ve finished second three times now.
“But I’ve got a good feeling about this year’s Vuelta. It feels like we’re on much more of a mission this year.
“And aiming for the Tour-Vuelta double this season has been a huge motivation.
“I don’t think we’ve been to the Vuelta a Espana with a team as strong as we’ve got this year.
“It’s a race I love doing, but it’s relentless. The course is always a lot more mountainous than the Tour de France.
“And the conditions are tougher. Being mid-August in Spain, it’s quite common to have temperatures up in the mid 40s. It’s absolutely brutal.
“One thing that really sets the Vuelta apart from other races is where it is in the season.
“You have this mixture of riders who have targeted the Vuelta specifically, and others who are coming off a big season already.
“Typically, it’s a very aggressive race and a very punchy style of racing, which always makes for great viewing for the fans.”
Topics
