Second chance at a Grand Tour for Belgian hope after crashing out of the Tour de France
Having crashed out of the Tour de France during the ninth stage to Saint-Flour, Jurgen Van Den Broeck is to take his second chance at Grand Tour glory in the Vuelta a España. The 28-year-old Belgian, who is touted as his country’s best Tour hope for a generation after his fifth place in 2010, was one of the most serious casualties of a crash on the descent of the Col du Pas de Peyrol, breaking his shoulder blade and three ribs, as well as suffering a collapsed lung.
Van Den Broeck will be at the head of a strong Omega Pharma-Lotto team, which will be without Belgian champion Philippe Gilbert and German sprinter Andre Greipel. Both rode the Tour de France, winning a stage each, but both have alternative plans for the end of the season as they prepare for the World Championships.
Also missing from the team is Omega Pharma-Lotto’s third Tour stage winner Jelle Vanendert. The 26-year-old climber was to ride the Tour in support of Van Den Broeck’s podium bid, before his unfortunate withdrawal, but he will have to do without him this time. Present from the Tour team though, will be Sebastian Lang, who is set to ride his third Grand Tour of the year, and Jurgen Van De Walle, who hd the dubious honour of being the first rider to abandon the race.
Included in the team will be breakaway specialist Jan Bakelants, who was one of the most aggressive riders of the Giro d’Italia, winning the Traguardo Volante prize for the intermediate sprints. Six of the will be Belgian, with just German Lang, Australian Adam Hansen and Spaniard Vicente Reynes the exceptions.
Omega Pharma-Lotto team for the Vuelta a España:
Jan Bakelants, Francis De Greef, Gert Dockx, Adam Hansen, Olivier Kaisen, Sebastian Lang, Vicente Reynes, Jurgen Van de Walle and Jurgen Van den Broeck