Rigoberto Uran will lead EF Education First at the Vuelta, as two other Colombians are debuting in the race, Daniel Felipe Martinez and Sergio Higuita.
Uran wants to complete his grand tour podium set, and is eyeing a top-3 at the Vuelta to complement his second-place podium spots at the Giro d’Italia in 2013 and 2014, and Tour de France in 2017.
“The Vuelta is a beautiful race,” said the Colombian. “I have won stages here but never been on the podium. That’s a huge motivation going into it. This year has been a bit of an unusual year. I’ve had very few days of racing, and I felt good at the Tour, so I see a great opportunity here at the Vuelta, especially with the strong team we have racing.”
“Rigo is really motivated, he’s missing a podium place at the Vuelta, he’s been on the podium at the Tour de France and at the Giro d’Italia, and I know he would really like to be on the podium in Madrid for the Vuelta,” said sport director Juanma Garate. “He knows that this year is a great opportunity for him, to not only aim for the podium, but to also win a stage in the race, too.”
Higuita will experience in Spain his first grand tour. “To race the Vuelta is a childhood dream come true,” he explained. “There have been many years of longing and sweating just so one day I would arrive at this point and be able to race this race. I just want to enjoy it, right up to the finish line of the 21st stage. I want to spend the race fighting for my team and learning with them”.
EF Education First’s line-up for the Vuelta: Rigoberto Uran, Hugh Carthy, Lawson Craddock, Mitch Docker, Sergio Higuita, Daniel Martínez, Logan Owen, Tejay van Garderen
