This Saturday, EF Pro Cycling will deploy a formidable team of grand tour rookies and experienced veterans for the 2023 Vuelta a España, one of Spain’s prestigious cycling races. The team is ready to tackle the challenging terrain and showcase their skills in the three-week race.
The team consists of riders including Hugh Carthy, Stefan Bissegger, Diego Camargo, Jonathan Caicedo, Andrea Piccolo, Sean Quinn, Julius van den Berg, and Marijn van den Berg. Each rider brings their unique strengths and capabilities to the table.
Hugh Carthy, who has previously conquered the fearsome Alto de L’Angliru, is eager to make his mark in the mountains once again. With the support of teammates Diego Camargo, Jonathan Caicedo, and Andrea Piccolo, Carthy aims to maintain a strong position in the General Classification.
On the flatter stages, Marijn van den Berg will showcase his skills as the team’s fast man. Having already achieved notable victories this season, he is excited to make his grand tour debut at the Vuelta. Sean Quinn and Andrea Piccolo will join van den Berg in setting up sprints and seeking opportunities to break away. Meanwhile, Stefan Bissegger will focus on the individual time trial in stage ten.
The team believes in its balance and readiness to conquer the Vuelta’s challenging terrain. With a mix of experience and enthusiasm, EF Pro Cycling is poised to create an exciting race for fans.
Stefan Bissegger, a grand tour rookie, shared his excitement about his first Vuelta experience: “It will be crazy with the climbing. We’ve got a good team with Marijn for sure. Hugh will be good too. Personally, I was a bit disappointed with worlds… Now, I am going in the good direction. Three weeks is a long time. If I can get better day by day, I’ll be super happy. Obviously, I am looking forward to the time trial and maybe some breakaways. It is going to be interesting.”
Diego Camargo expressed gratitude for being selected as part of the team: “For my part, I feel very happy and very motivated to return once again to the Vuelta… [I intend] to support the team as much as I can and to look for a stage.”
Jonathan Caicedo is determined to make the most of his opportunity: “My absolute dream would be to win a stage at this grand tour… I will give it my all and also be of great support to our leader.”
Hugh Carthy, who is excited to get back on the road, said: “Looking at the team that we have got, it is a nice group… Everything I have done at home was as good as it could have been, so I am excited and optimistic as well.”
Andrea Piccolo, in his first grand tour, expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m very happy to be part of the team for the Vuelta… I definitely want to try to enjoy the Vuelta to the fullest and to take away some big satisfaction from these next three weeks.”
Sean Quinn, who has dreamed of participating in a grand tour, stated: “Of course, a grand tour can feel daunting, but I am very eager to get into the rhythm and see what happens to me in the third week.”
Julius van den Berg, excited for his second Vuelta, is ready to support Carthy and Marijn van den Berg: “I am happy to be going, and I feel good… Marijn was really good in Poland, so we can go for stages with him in the Vuelta… I am looking forward to it!”
Marijn van den Berg, the team’s fast man, expressed both excitement and nervousness about his grand tour debut: “The longest races I have done were L’Avenir and the Baby Giro… so I have no idea what to expect, but I am super excited… I would like to go for a stage win.”
The EF Pro Cycling team is ready to face the challenges of the Vuelta a España head-on and showcase their skills in this unpredictable and exciting race. Fans can expect an action-packed three weeks of intense racing.
