Kaden Groves Alpecin - Premier Tech at Vuelta a España - Australian might be Brennan's biggest sprint rival
CyclingTuesday, 18 August 2026 at 13:18
Alpecin - Premier Tech commonly deposit all of their chips in the spring classics and Tour de France, whilst the team's vast array of classics specialists get freedom at the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. That is once again the case this year with a diverse lineup for the Belgian team, led by Kaden Groves.
Groves started the Giro d'Italia but was forced to abandon in the first days of the race. After a start of the season where he was hampered by a knee injury, it has meant that thus far the Australian has only 15 race days, and has only finished in the Top10 of a stage on one occasions.
The 27-year old is going to be departing Alpecin at the end of the season, most likely towards Tudor; with the team having already confirmed the arrivals of Casper van Uden and Madis Mihkels who are set to replace him in the pursuit of sprint victories for the team.
However Groves has one final shot at success in a three-week race with Alpecin, the team in which he has truly found his level. Having joined the team in 2023, he won the points classifications at the Vuelta on two consecutive occasions, winning six stages in these two participations.
Kaden Groves won a stage at the Tour de France in 2025
His versatility has often proved to be the key for his success at the Spanish Grand Tour. Not only is he one of the best sprinters in the peloton, but simultaneously he is a tremendous classics specialist, having won a stage at the Tour de France last year solo from a breakaway.
He will have to do without a leadout however, with Sente Sentjens being the only rider experienced in dealing with bunch sprints, with the team largely leaving out their classics specialists and sprinters out of the three-week race.
Instead, freedom will be given towards its climber Ramses Debruyne who has been impressing this season, albeit not having much support to count on in the mountainous days. Most of the team will have the clear task of aiming for wins in the hilly days. Francesco Busatto, Michael Gogl, Hugo Houle, Gal Glivar and Lindsay de Vylder have been the riders selected to take part in the race.
Read also
Alpecin - Premier Tech for 2026 Vuelta a España:
| Riders |
| Ramses Debruyne |
| Kaden Groves |
| Michael Gogl |
| Francesco Busatto |
| Sente Sentjens |
| Lindsay de Vylder |
| Gal Glivar |
| Hugo Houle |
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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- Some points here to consider. No matter how much money anyone makes, they are still free to decide whatever is theirs to decide. We can extend this discussion to for example, paying your taxes (in your own country). I would be interested to hear your opinion on this point which seems so relevant for someone with such an old-fashionioned opinion that I’m surprised you didn’t include it in your list of patriotic obligations. I am also quite sure that there are situations in which it becomes totally justifiable to refuse the kind of patriotism others attempt to impose on you (even if just tacitly through years of brainwashing). Now, maybe that’s hard to relate to cycling, but, having followed this exchange for a while now, it stands out to me that you are only particularly concerned about ONE person’s attitude to this and not the issue itself. It seems more like it’s just a good excuse to bash on someone you don’t like. Would you maybe care to prove your stance on this is based on principles by giving us a short review of other riders who avoided/refused representing their country in recent years and the validity of their reasons (at least where given, because it seems you’re also assuming a lot about Vingegaards’).Jumpyjohn18-08-2026
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- Typo moment, I think you meant “more than nearly everyone.”RidesHills18-08-2026
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Rafionain-Glas18-08-2026 - Anything to get away from Brailsford. Geraint Thomas is a good guy but hardly proven as someone who can guide a team to success off the bike.Renz18-08-2026
- The backlash Jonas faces when retiring for the season, after the TdF, is abhorrent to me - for many reasons. Aside from the fact it is entirely his/his team's prerogative, the man has had 94 race days since last year's Tour, (fixed typo) more than the majority of the peloton (inc. Tadej), and has raced every consecutive GT since the 25' TdF, winning 2 of them, and coming 2nd in another. Cut the guy a damn break.anonymouscyclist18-08-2026
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