Algemeen Our team sets sights on La Vuelta a España 2025
Across 21 demanding stages, the riders will cover a total of 3 151 kilometers, crossing Italy, France and Spain before heading to Madrid for the grand finale on 14 September.
Sports director Mario Aerts outlines the team strategy and ambitions heading into the Vuelta: “Of course the big goal is to win a stage. With Elia Viviani, we will immediately go for it as stage one is marked in red for him. Everyone will be able to go for the stages that they have indicated and the way the Vuelta is currently looking, there will be chances for breakaways. Of course we still have to await what the GC riders will do, but for sure everyone within our team will get their chances.”
For Elia Viviani, the return to a Grand tour after three years carries special significance, especially with the race starting in his home country: “I am extremely happy to be back at the start of a Grand Tour. With the Vuelta starting in Italy, my home country, this one feels even more special. There are about four stages that should suit me well, but of course my mind is already set on this first stage here in Italy.”
The Vuelta will mark the first Grand Tour for Alec Segaert, who is eager to embrace the experience while being fully aware of the challenges that three weeks of racing can bring along: “Of course I am looking forward to my first Grand Tour. I am very excited to experience the atmosphere of 21 days of racing. It will also be a different way of racing for me, since we do not really have a GC rider in the team. My personal goals are to try and join the early breakaways and of course the time trial on stage 18. But of course it will also be about how my body will feel after three weeks of racing and how fresh I will still be by then.”
Arjen Livyns returns for his second Vuelta with renewed confidence: “This will be my second Vuelta. When I competed for the first time last season, I was mostly excited to see how my body would react to three weeks of racing. In the end it all worked out very well. So for that reason I am already very keen to be at the start this year. In general, I think that we as a team will be able to race pretty free as we are not really here with a GC rider. Everyone will get the chance to go for their stages. For me personally, I think I can take most advantage from a breakaway, especially in the hilly stages.”
Photo: PhotoNews
