Team Sky has announced its squad who will be taking part in the final Grand Tour of the year – the Vuelta a España which runs from August 24 to September 15. The team is drawn from seven different nations with 25-year-old Colombian, Sergio Henao, set to lead the team after an impressive season, which has already delivered 17 top-10 finishes.
Confirming the final selection for the Vuelta a España team, Team Principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: ‘It’s a testament to the strength and depth in this team that we can line up in all three Grand Tours this year with such strong squads… We’ve watched Sergio develop since he joined the team and this is a great opportunity for him to demonstrate what he is capable of on a big stage like the Vuelta. We have selected a squad for all eventualities out on the road and we’re excited to get started and to try to build on our success this season.’
The full Team Sky line-up for the 2013 Vuelta a España will be: Sergio Henao (Colombia), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway ), Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus), Christian Knees (Germany), Luke Rowe (GB), Rigoberto Uran (Columbia), Xabier Zandio (Spain), Dario Cataldo and Salvatore Puccio (both Italy).
Commenting on his team leadership Henao said, ‘The Vuelta is a huge race for me and an important and prestigious event. It is an honour to be picked as the team leader and it’s a responsibility that I want to try and fulfil. I respect what the team has asked of me and I want to try and make the most out of the opportunity. The Vuelta is always a hard race and it’s getting tougher every year. There are a lot of great riders targeting the race this season and the racing is going to be at a really high level.’
This year’s Vuelta a España, which covers a total of 3,319.1km, starts with a team time trial from Vilanova de Arousa to Sanxenxo on Saturday August 24 and concludes, as is tradition, in Madrid three weeks later.
For further details on the Vuelta a España see lavuelta.com
