Team Dimension Data will start the Vuelta al Pais Vasco – also known as the Tour of the Basque Country – with their two local Basque riders, Omar Fraile and Igor Anton when it starts today.
The team is then littered with climbers Merhawi Kudus, Lachlan Morton and Serge Pauwels and is completed by Adrien Niyonshuti, Ben King and Steve Cummings.
Last year Cummings won stage three of the race with a crafty late attack.
The British rider will once again be on the lookout for a stage opportunity while the final stage time trial could also suit his abilities.
Team Dimension Data’s Omar Fraile will take on the Vuelta al Pais Vasco from today. Photo: Stiehl Photography
Their host of climbers though will focus on being in contention daily, as a stage win will be the primary objective this week.
The six-stage World Tour race will once again include numerous climbs each day but this year the race will end with a 27km individual time trial on Saturday.
The addition of the race against the clock will ensure it is suited to more of an outright GC rider as opposed to specialised climbers like in the past.
Stage five will see the only summit finish of this year’s race so it is expected for the real GC shake up to happen over these last two stages.
