CYCLING – Team Bahrain Victorious head to the Vuelta a Burgos in Spain aiming for a stage victory and a top 10 finish in the general classification (GC).
The five-day elite men’s road race takes place from today until Saturday. It begins with a punchy finish in Burgos before moving into the mountains, with uphill finishes in Pineda de la Sierra and Lagunas de Neila among the key moments of the week.
Stage three also features the Puerto del Escudo shortly before the finish at the Balneario de Corconte, while the fourth stage gives the faster riders their best opportunity.
The team arrive in good spirits after a strong weekend in the Basque Country, with Pello Bilbao finishing fifth at the Clasica San Sebastian and Pau Miquel taking second at the Circuito de Getxo.
Bilbao will act as road captain while continuing to build his condition towards the Vuelta a Espana. Afonso Eulalio will look for opportunities throughout the race, while Miquel gives the team another option on the punchier days and from breakaways.
Zak Erzen will be the team’s sprint option, with Oliver Stockwell and Max van der Meulen providing support. Mathijs Paasschens completes the line-up in a role across all five stages.
“I am going to Burgos with an open mind and without putting too much pressure on myself,” said Bilbao.
“I have realised that there is no point in making too many plans, because sometimes you suddenly find yourself in a race with good legs and good sensations.”
“I am nearing the end of my career, I am enjoying racing, and I am happy to have found a good level of form. I am very motivated for every race that is still ahead of me.
“I want to finish my career in the best possible way. Winning a stage here in Burgos would be great, and doing it at the Vuelta would be even better. We have a team capable of fighting for a result on every stage, so we will go day by day and try to make the most of every opportunity. That could also lead us to a good result in the GC.
“I was coming from a difficult period, but I have suddenly found good legs again. We will stay calm and continue progressing towards the Vuelta.”
Bahrain Victorious sports director Franco Pellizotti added: “We come into the Vuelta a Burgos in a good mood after a strong weekend, with Pello’s result in San Sebastian and Pau coming very close to victory in Getxo. The riders are quite fresh after a long period without racing and time at altitude.
“It is a demanding race, with different types of stages and opportunities throughout the week. We have a balanced team, with Zak for the sprint opportunities, while Afonso and Pau can be competitive on the harder days. The rest of the team gives us the support and flexibility we need across the five stages.
“Pello is improving day by day and showing that his condition is getting better. It is difficult to set a precise target for the GC because the level here is very high, but our ambitions are also high.
“I am positive about these five stages. We have four riders here preparing for the Vuelta, and I believe we can have a very good race.”
The upcoming Vuelta a Espana is the third and final Grand Tour of this international cycling season – the first was the Giro d’Italia held in May followed by the Tour de France last month.
The 21-stage Vuelta a Espana is scheduled for August 22 to September 13.