At the end of next week, the third Grand Tour of the year starts: the Vuelta a España (22/08 – 13/09). Lotto Soudal has selected these nine riders:  Kris Boeckmans, Jasper De Buyst, Bart De Clercq, Thomas De Gendt, Adam Hansen, Maxime Monfort, Jurgen Van den Broeck, Tosh Van der Sande and Jelle Vanendert. Mario Aerts and Frederik Willems are the sports directors for the race.

21-year-old Jasper De Buyst makes his Grand Tour début. For sprinter Kris Boeckmans (28) it is the third Grand Tour of his career, after he had participated in the Tour two times. It’s also the third three-week stage race for Tosh Van der Sande (24), who rode the Vuelta in 2013 and the Giro in 2014. 

Bart De Clercq, who turns 29 on the day of the fifth Vuelta stage, impressed in the Tour de Pologne. He rides the Vuelta for the fourth time. The same goes for Jelle Vanendert (30) and Jurgen Van den Broeck (32). Van den Broeck finished eighth in 2011. This year the Belgian time trial champion already took part in the Giro, together with Maxime Monfort, who is selected for the Vuelta as well. The 32-year-old Belgian will start the Vuelta for the fifth time. His best result was the sixth place in 2011. 

Thomas De Gendt (28), who showed his skills in the Tour despite of a rib injury, goes to the Vuelta for the third time. Last but not least there’s Adam Hansen (34) who’s on the start list of the Vuelta for the seventh time. It’s his 20th Grand Tour and more importantly his thirteenth consecutive Grand Tour. Since the Vuelta of 2011 he has completed all Grand Tours in which he started. If he finishes this Vuelta as well, he will break the record of Bernardo Ruiz.