lwaiting is over. He Tour de France is about to begin and Caja Rural-Seguros RGA faces one of the most important events in its history with the aim of leaving its mark on the most prestigious race on the cycling calendar. The Navarrese team will compete in the Grande Boucle for the first time under its current structure and it will do so with a block designed to be competitive in all types of scenarios, from mountain stages to sprint finishes, without giving up the prominence that has characterized the team in recent seasons.
The start of the French round will also have a marked Spanish flavor. Barcelona will host the official presentation at the Sagrada Familia. For such a special occasionCaja Rural will wear a retro kit in homage to the historic structure that participated in the 1987 and 1988 Toursa nod to the tradition of a project that returns to the greatest showcase of world cycling.
The final selection is made up of eight runners with very different and complementary profiles. Fernando Gaviria will be the team’s main asset in mass arrivals. The Colombian, winner of two stages in the Tour de France, will have a solid support block made up of riders such as Stefano Oldani, Jakub Otruba or Alex Molenaarwho will also have the freedom to seek prominence from the getaways when the development of the race allows it.
in the mountains, Rural Bank will trust a good part of his options in José Félix Parra and Sebastian Berwick, two climbers who arrive after having a very consistent season. They join Joel Nicolauone of the most combative riders in the Spanish peloton, and Abel Balderstonenational time trial champion in 2024, who will experience a very special debut by doing it practically at home after the start of the race in Barcelona.
The statements of José Miguel Fernández:
“We are very excited about this great opportunity for the team. Participating in the Tour de France is a huge source of pride and we want to reciprocate the trust that ASO has placed in us by giving our best in each stage and being faithful to our style of running. Selecting the final eight has probably been the most difficult we have had to face. The level that the team has shown throughout the season has been enormous and we are aware that cyclists are left out who, due to performance and quality, would also have deserved to be in this outing. “That says a lot about the group we have built.”
“We have tried to bring a very balanced group
“We have tried to have a very balanced groupwith climbers to be able to shine in the high mountains and, at the same time, a solid block to be able to be protagonists in flat and mid-mountain getaways. Furthermore, we face the sprint finishes with our sprinter with the utmost enthusiasm. Fernando Gaviria. We know that it is one of the greatest challenges in cycling, but Fernando already knows what it means to win in the Tour, and our objective will be to support him in the best possible way so that he can fight for victory. Being at the exit from Barcelona represents the work, effort and perseverance of many years. We have worked very hard to get here and the entire team faces this Tour with enormous enthusiasm and motivation. “We want to enjoy this unique opportunity, compete with ambition and demonstrate, in the best race in the world, the level and identity of this team.”
