"I flew out Friday at 6am" - Briton Ben Turner on his last-minute call to Vuelta a Espana

A Grand Tour for most riders is an event that comes after weeks or even months of specific preparation. But sometimes it also comes as a last-minute change, with just over 24 hours to its start. Ben Turner received a call-up for the final Grand Tour of the season on Thursday evening, flew out to Italy and started it Saturday morning.

“The last 24 hours were bizarre. I was racing full gas in the Renewi Tour, and then Thursday evening, on the way back to the hotel after stage 2, I got the message that they needed me in the Vuelta," Turner shared with In de Leiderstrui.

The INEOS Grenadiers was not only an important rider, but even a leader for INEOS at the Dutch/Belgian race, but after the news of Lucas Hamilton's illness the team needed a replacement. Whilst usually there are one or two riders immediately available for a call-up having also prepared for the event and made the shortlist, INEOS either did not have one or made the risky decision to select a rider who was already competing at the time.

Turner has shown immense talent this season, developing as a sprinter besides his natural classics specialist attributes. The 26-year old recently won a stage and the points classification at the Tour de Pologne. It's far from the ideal preparation for the race, but even if the Briton doesn't race the Vuelta for his own chances, he can be a key support man or even breakaway hunter throughout the race.

“It wasn’t a problem for me, so I flew out Friday at 6am., and now I’m here. It’s tough, but this is cycling, the sport where you show up when you’re needed. So you reset your focus and give everything for the new goal," he explains. Turner really had no idea that this would happen, and says that his schedule was already outlined and has now been completely changed.

“I had the Tour of Britain and some Belgian races on my schedule, but now I’m riding my second grand tour of the year,. I’ve got a good feeling, hopefully that pays off in the Vuelta. We’ve got a lot of options in the team, so I’m going to do my best," he concluded.