Our team will look to be a protagonist in the fight for stage victories and the overall standings.
The 38th edition of Vuelta a Burgos kicks-off with a rather flat stage, which shouldn't see any other outcome than a bunch gallop. On Wednesday, the 10.7km team time trial will lead to some gaps – albeit small – between the general classification contenders, before the puncheurs and attackers will take center stage in Villarcayo, respectively Lerma. Nothing will be decided until the final day of the race, when the peloton will visit the iconic climb of Lagunas de Neila, which came to prominence at the 1998 Vuelta a España. Averaging 5.3% over its 14.8 kilometers, Lagunas de Neila features double-digit gradients in the final kilometers, where the race is very likely to explode.
An in-form Gianni Meersman – who made a strong impression at the Tour de Wallonie, where he showed a remarkable consistency – will be the team's main card for the stages expected to come down to a bunch sprint, in which he'll rely on a strong lead-out train which includes Yves Lampaert, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck and Martin Velits. Giro d'Italia stage winner Gianluca Brambilla (6th in last week-end's Clasica San Sebastian) and David De La Cruz, who'll ride on home soil, will hope to shine on the challenging climbs, where they will be supported by the experienced Maxime Bouet and Pieter Serry.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
