Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford has hailed the decision by Vuelta a España organisers to grant a wild card to the team, saying that riding three Grand Tours in its first season is a big boost for the British squad.
"It's very, very pleasing to know that we'll be taking part in the Vuelta this year - it's great news for the team,” he said. "It's terrific to be able to race in the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España in our debut season and that has always been a big aim for us.”
On Monday race organisers Unipublic announced the 22 teams that will take part in this year’s race. It revealed six wildcard selections, namely the Spanish Andalucia – Cajasur and Xacobeo Galicia teams, the American Garmin Transitions squad, plus Cervelo Test Team (Switzerland), Sky Professional Cycling Team (Great Britain) and Russia’s Team Katusha.
Notable omissions include the RadioShack and BMC Racing Teams. The latter confirmed afterwards that it hadn’t sought to ride the event, while Johan Bruyneel, team manager of the former, expressed his anger in a personal statement. He slammed the decision, saying that the team was going to send a strong line-up.
In contrast, Brailsford recognises the fact that wild card places are not guaranteed, and that much lobbying, hard work on the bike and perhaps an element of luck is needed.
"It's been one of the hardest Vueltas to get into for a number of years and we never took anything for granted,” he said. “The process started a little while ago and this news today is a real vote of confidence in the team and everything we are trying to do with it.
The squad has already taken stage wins in the Giro d’Italia and will aim to do the same in the Tour de France. In addition to that, the team will try to put Bradley Wiggins on the podium, twelve months after he netted an unexpected fourth place in the race.
Brailsford pledges that the riders will take the Vuelta equally seriously. "We'll have a really strong squad and the riders are all ready for it,” he said. “We're delighted to be given the opportunity to fly the Team Sky flag in such a significant event.”
Apart from the six wildcard teams, sixteen other squads will take part thanks to a pre-existing agreement between the organisers and the UCI, dating back to 2008. They are Ag2r La Mondiale (Fra), Astana (Kaz), Bbox Bouygues Telecom (Fra), Caisse D'Epargne (Spa), Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne (Fra), Euskaltel – Euskadi (Spa), Footon-Servetto (Spa), Française Des Jeux (Fra), Lampre-Farnese Vini (Ita), Liquigas-Doimo (Ita), Omega Pharma-Lotto (Bel), Quick Step (Bel), Rabobank (Ned), Team HTC – Columbia (USA), Team Milram (Ger) and Team Saxo Bank (Den).
The 65th Vuelta a España will begin in Seville on Saturday August 28th and will continue for three weeks.