2021 Vuelta a España: Aussie stage hunters look to shine in Spain

Eleven Australians will start the last grand tour of the year, the Vuelta a España, with stage wins front of mind.

A notable absence will be Caleb Ewan, who has not fully recovered a crash at the Tour de France. Nevertheless, a host of homegrown talent will be on show and likely to hunt for stage honours in sprints and breakaways.

The grand tour debutants

The three-week race begins this Saturday in Burgos and, while prestigious in its own right, is often seen as a place to blood young talent under the Spanish sun.

That certainly applies to Australia’s two grand tour debutants, Sebastian Berwick (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fenix). Both climbers should have ample opportunities on the race’s notoriously steep slopes.

Berwick landed a WorldTour spot after developing with St George Continental. Until now, the 21-year-old Queenslander has spent his neo-pro season in the service of teammates. In Spain, however, he should enjoy more freedom to display the climbing ability that netted him second overall at the 2020 Herald Sun Tour.

Vine, on the other hand, earned his professional contract via the unorthodox route of Zwift Academy. The Canberran has shown promise with a podium at the Tour of Turkey and, more recently, a fifth place against world-class climbers at the Vuelta a Burgos. After developing through the NRS with Nero Continental, a stage win at La Vuelta would cement a place for him at the top level.

The Aussie team

Team BikeExchange, Australia’s only WorldTour team, bring five Aussie riders led by Canberra’s Michael Matthews. After missing the green jersey and stage results at the Tour de France, the Canberran sprinter is keen to add to his tally of three Vuelta stages.

“I’m feeling ready for the Vuelta, I recovered well after a hard Tour de France and now, after many close calls at the Tour with second and third places, I am motivated to try and get on the top step at the Vuelta. I’ve won a few stages here before and it’s a Grand Tour that I really enjoy,” Matthews said.

“I think we’ve generally got a strong team and a team that can sprint but that can climb well too. I feel prepared, now I just want to start racing and hope we can have some really good results.”

Those climbers include Lucas Hamilton, who was forced to withdraw from the Tour after crashing; Nick Schultz, who returns for his fifth Vuelta participation; and Damien Howson, who won overall at the Tour de Hongrie this year. Like Berwick and Vine, the climbers will aim for results on hilly stages.

“I was devastated having to withdraw from the Tour de France after crashing, so this makes me even more motivated and excited to start the Vuelta,” Hamilton said. “It will be my first time racing the Vuelta, I’ve heard it’s a really great Grand Tour and having looked at the stages, the second half of the race looks really hard with lots of climbing, so hopefully we can have a really good tour, a strong overall showing and get our hands in the air.”

Robert Stannard rounds out the team’s Australian contingent and can support Matthews in the sprints as well as packing a fast finish of his own.

The breakaway hunters

Michael Storer (Team DSM) returns for his fourth Vuelta. The West Australian has just announced a move to Groupama-FDJ and will look to leave on a high note. He made the winning breakaway last year on a couple of occasions, with third being his best result. Storer took his maiden professional win this month—a stage and the overall at the Tour de l’Ain—so has excellent form coming into the Vuelta.

Storer will be joined by teammate Chris Hamilton, a late addition to the DSM squad after Jai Hindley withdrew due to injury. Hamilton came close to a stage win at the Giro d’Italia this year, finishing second in a two-up sprint.

Like most of the Aussie riders mentioned above, this DSM duo will be genuine threats in the breakaways whenever the Vuelta hits the mountains.

The domestiques

Finally, Jack Haig (Bahrain-Victorious) and Dylan Sunderland (Team Qhubeka NexHash) will likely play support roles for their respective teams.

The fact that Haig starts this Vuelta is impressive in itself, having broken his clavicle seven weeks ago in a shocking fall at the Tour de France. With a plate and screws holding his collarbone together, Haig will ride for team leader Mikel Landa.

Inverell’s Sunderland will start his second grand tour in as many years. He’s expected to be on domestique duties for his team leaders Fabio Aru and Sergio Henao.

Australians at the 2021 Vuelta a España

Jay Vine (Alpecin-Fenix) - ACT
Jack Haig (Bahrain-Victorious) - VIC
Sebastian Berwick (Israel Start-Up Nation) - QLD
Lucas Hamilton (Team BikeExchange) - VIC
Damien Howson (Team BikeExchange) - SA
Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) - ACT
Nick Schultz (Team BikeExchange) - QLD
Robert Stannard (Team BikeExchange) - NSW
Chris Hamilton (Team DSM) - VIC
Michael Storer (Team DSM) - WA
Dylan Sunderland (Team Qhubeka NextHash) - NSW

Watch the 2021 Vuelta a España live, free and in HD on SBS VICELAND, SBS On Demand and the SBS ŠKODA Tour Tracker from August 14 – September 5.

There’s plenty more road racing to watch this weekend with our under-23 men at the Tour de l’Avenir and some of Australia's top women at the Ladies Tour of Norway.

Photo: PHOTOGOMEZSPORT2020