19/07/2024

Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso will race Vuelta a Espana according to race director, despite contrary reports

Javier Guillén, director of the Vuelta a España, has dropped the bombshell after assuring that Primoz Roglic, Juan Ayuso, Mikel Landa and Sepp Kuss are confirmed for this year's edition, and also does not rule out the presence of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. An affirmation that goes against what some teams have been arguing in public.

The news has been brought forward by the EFE Agency, and it carries a lot of weight in the current situation of the peloton. These statements by Javier Guillén, first of all, contradict what UAE Team Emirates boss Mauro Gianetti said earlier this morning, who stated that Ayuso was not going to be in La Vuelta. It is quite strange that the director of the Spanish Grand Tour suddenly confirms the rider of the Emirati team, who had to abandon the Tour de France because of a Covid-19 infection.

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Moreover, Pogacar himself also said on the final rest day of the Grande Boucle, last Monday, that he is 99% sure he will not be in the race, but that it was a big possibility that he would be there next year. Vingegaard has also said in the past he will not race the Vuelta as his wife is due to their second child during the Spanish Grand Tour. He's still finishing the Tour de France, and 3 minutes and 11 seconds behind Tadej Pogacar in the overall with 4 stages to go doesn't seem to be something that occupies his mind.

Guillén also argued Primoz Roglic will be in the race. Only two days ago, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe's Rolf Aldag has argued that a decision will only be made after the Tour de France ends, for both Roglic and Aleksandr Vlasov. The Vuelta organizer's words also directly contradict what is being shared by multiple teams.

Only after Tour de France will BORA consider taking Primoz Roglic to Vuelta a Espana - "There is still a lot of sadness and emotion still floating around"

Sepp Kuss, as expected, is going to defend the 2023 Vuelta a España winner's title, specially after missing out on the Tour de France he will definitely be one of the few riders who are solely racing the Spanish Grand Tour with GC ambitions - Mattias Skjelmose is another, with an interesting plan for the season.

Finally, Mikel Landa may become Soudal Quick-Step's great hope. With Remco Evenepoel giving his all in the Tour de France, Landa is fulfilling the role of super domestique in an outstanding way. He is also 5th in the general classification, showing a form that can be exciting to compete for the best possible result in La Vuelta.