Vuelta a España: Ineos Grenadiers back Richard Carapaz, debuts for Rodriguez, Hayter, Plapp, Turner

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Ineos Grenadiers will send a blend of experience and youth to the Vuelta a Espana with Richard Carapaz looking to close out his time on the team with a second grand tour win.

The Olympic road champion, and former Giro d’Italia winner, will be joined by four grand tour debutants with Luke Plapp, Carlos Rodriguez, Ethan Hayter, and Ben Turner all earning places on the start list.

Tao Geoghegan Hart, Pavel Sivakov and Dylan van Baarle make up the rest of the team. There are no spots for Michal Kwiatkowski, Laurens de Plus, or Omar Fraile, who were all on the original long list for the team.

Also read: Vuelta a Espana preview: Fireworks assured even without the 'Big Four'

Carapaz finished second in the Giro d’Italia earlier this year and was the runner-up in last year’s Vuelta a Espana to Primoz Roglic. The Ineos Grenadiers leader will move to EF Education-EasyPost at the end of the season but will lead the line for Ineos in Spain.

"Our team for the Vuelta is a really exciting one; a great mix of experience and youth, which we believe will produce some outstanding racing,” said Rod Ellingworth.

"To have four Grand Tour debutants in Carlos, Luke, Ethan and Ben reinforces the belief we have in the quality of our young riders and we know that they'll provide fantastic support for Richie in his last Grand Tour with us. All four have impressed in 2022 and this will be the next big step in their development at the very highest level.

"As a previous winner, and having placed second in 2020, we're looking forward to Richie drawing on that experience and leading the team as the race heads for Madrid, in what undoubtedly will be a very exciting edition of the Vuelta.”

There will be strong support in the mountains with Vuelta a Burgos winner Sivakov joined by former Giro d’Italia winner Geoghegan Hart and Rodriguez.

Van Baarle, also leaving for pastures new at the end of the season, will form the engine room with Australian Plapp and Turner providing valuable cover.

Hayter will target stage wins throughout the race and comes into his maiden grand tour on the back of an overall win at the Tour of Poland earlier this month.

Ineos Grenadiers for the Vuelta a Espana: Richard Carapaz, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Ethan Hayter, Luke Plapp, Carlos Rodriguez, Pavel Sivakov, Ben Turner, Dylan van Baarle.

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