The selection for the Vuelta Back to news items

Next Saturday the 67th Vuelta a España will start in Pamplona. The coming Tour of Spain, that is mainly taking place in the North this year, is a very tough edition. On the opening day a team time trial of 16,5 kilometers is on the menu and on day three and four there is already some heavy climbing to do. In total there are nine arrivals uphill. One individual time trial (stage 11) of 39,4 kilometers has to help decide about the general classification. The list of participants is already very promising.

Lotto Belisol has succeeded again to put a balanced team of nine riders into place. Jurgen Van den Broeck can travel to Spain without any pressure after his successful Tour de France. Also the Australian Adam Hansen - revelation in the Tour de France and earlier on also present at the Giro - is at the start. Furthermore there's also Bart De Clercq, marathon guy Olivier Kaisen and Gianni Meersman who already rode the Giro as well. Gianni Meersman had to leave early on in the race because of a wrist and elbow injury, but will find some arrivals in Spain that should suit him. For Jens Debusschere, Frederik Willems, Joost Van Leijen and local Vicente Reynes it is their first grand tour this year.

The next few days we'll look further ahead to the Vuelta!