UAE Team Emirates return to racing at Vuelta Burgos

Dubai - Fernando Gaviria will be the team's fastman in the sprints while Fabio Aru and David De la Cruz will look to test their legs in the mountains

The UAE Team Emirates will face their first big test of the revised 2020 season since the UAE Tour four months ago with the team heading to Spain for the Vuelta Burgos (July 28- August 1).
 
The race will be the first stage race of the Pro Series after the suspension of cycling in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There are opportunities for the team's climbers and sprinters over the five-day event, with stages three and five likely to be the most decisive for the general classification.

The team goes into the race with a well-balanced squad enabling them to be competitive during each stage, as well as the GC.

Fernando Gaviria will be the team's fastman in the sprints while Fabio Aru and David De la Cruz will look to test their legs in the mountains.

Aru is looking forward to the challenge of riding again after the Covid-19-enforced break.

"We are excited and ready to return to competition in Burgos. In lockdown I had the chance to spend time at home with my young family and am feeling refreshed," the 30-year-old Italian rider said.

"It was also a time of hard work - recently I was with the team at altitude in Sestriere where we put in good hours of training. We are all eager to be able to pin a race number on our backs again and be back in the peloton."
 
Meanwhile, Neil Stephens, Sports Director, said the team has prepared well for the event.

"The guys are very excited and keen to get back racing. It's been a long time coming but the whole team have prepared well during the time at home and we are expecting good things in Burgos," said Stephens.

"It's going to be a bit different than normal racing and safety of the riders, staff and wider public is going to be a big focus. The team is very balanced and we hope to feature in the action every day - both in the sprints and on the climbs."
 
The seven-member team: Fabio Aru (Ita); Camilo Ardila (Col); David De la Cruz (Spa); Camilo Ardila (Col); Fernando Gaviria (Col); Max Richeze (Arg); Cristian Muñoz (Col).