Team News – Froome leads Sky at Vuelta

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Team Sky has selected its nine man line-up for the 69th edition of the Vuelta a España, starting on Saturday 23 August, with Chris Froome as team leader.

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Team News – Froome leads Sky at Vuelta

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Froome, who was forced to abandon the Tour de France last month due to injury, will make his return to racing in a team that includes fellow Brits Peter Kennaugh and Luke Rowe. The nine-man line-up is drawn from six different nations and also includes: Philip Deignan, Mikel Nieve, Vasil Kiryienka, Kanstantsin Siutsou, Christian Knees and Dario Cataldo.

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Confirming the Vuelta a España line-up, Team Principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “This year’s Vuelta is a great opportunity for us to get back to Grand Tour racing and I’m delighted that we’ll go there with a strong team that’s very capable of performing well.

“Chris Froome will be our team leader and it’s great to have him back on the bike and focused on the challenge ahead. He was obviously very disappointed after having to withdraw from the Tour de France but Chris has recovered and trained well since the injury. He’s now more determined than ever to get back to what he does best – riding Grand Tours.

“Chris is joined in the line-up by Peter Kennaugh and Luke Rowe, demonstrating once again the depth of British talent we have in the squad as they are both capable of making a big impact at the Vuelta. Philip Deignan and Mikel Nieve both race their second Grand Tours of the season and will add real quality in the mountains, with Dario Cataldo adding all-round ability to the team.”

“Experience and expertise are vital components when selecting any successful team and Chris has three hugely experienced riders alongside him in Christian Knees, Kanstantsin Siutsou and Vasil Kiryienka. Together they have raced 36 Grand Tours and that adds a huge amount of value to the team.

“We’re all excited, focused and ready to get started.”

Team leader Chris Froome said: “This is exactly the sort of challenge that I need after the disappointment of withdrawing from the Tour de France. You can’t dwell on disappointment, you have to move on quickly to next thing and the Vuelta has become the perfect race for me to focus on.”

“I’ve always really enjoyed racing at the Vuelta, it’s a tough race but a great opportunity for the whole team. I know that the level of competition will be incredibly high this year, but we’ve got a strong line up so we hope to be as competitive as possible.”

“I’m really pleased with how my recovery has gone since the Tour, I’ve been training hard and the support team are pleased with my progress. I’m a little bit light on racing days this year so getting a Grand Tour under my belt will not only help me now, but it will also help my preparation for next year.

“Going for the win will certainly be tough, but we’ll give it everything we’ve got.”

The Team Sky squad for the 2014 Vuelta a España:

Chris Froome United Kingdom – age 29
Dario Cataldo Italy – age 29
Philip Deignan Ireland – age 30

Peter Kennaugh United Kingdom – age 25
After being crowned British road race champion in June, Pete will look to continue his momentum as he campaigns the famous jersey at the Spanish Grand Tour. The Manxman captured his first professional victory at Settimana Coppi e Bartali this season and went on to win the race, a feat he replicated at the Tour of Austria. Part of the 2012 Tour de France-winning squad, Kennaugh’s climbing talents will be a great asset.

Vasil Kiryienka Belarus – age 33
Christian Knees Germany – age 33
Mikel Nieve Spain – age 30
Luke Rowe United Kingdom – age 24
Kanstantsin Siutsou Belarus – age 32

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