The Cycling Disciple

The Vuelta a España, alongside the Giro d'Italia, is often used as a proving ground for talent and can be a breakthrough race for general classification hopefuls and sprinters alike: take for example Chris Froome (2011), John Degenkolb (2012), Michael Matthews (2013) and  Tom Dumoulin (2015). With quite a handful of top bracket GC riders and practically all of the sprinters focusing instead on the Autumn classics, Tour of Britain and the World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria, many young riders are getting a chance at Grand Tour level.  Here are five riders under-26 who've impressed in the smaller races throughout the season and could take a massive step forward at this Vuelta. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Sky) Geoghegan Hart (right of centre) was an instrumental domestique as Geraint Thomas won the 2018 Criterium du Dauphine Photo credit: cyclingnews.com After a tremendous showing at the Tour of California in May  (fifth)  and Criterium du Dauphiné in June  (13th)

In the most open Grand Tour in years, Simon Yates finds himself with a golden opportunity to banish the heartbreak of the Giro. Simon Yates wore the maglia rosa for 12 stages after taking it on the stage six finish on Mount Etna won by teammate Esteban Chaves Photo credit: road.cc The 26-year-old Brit riding for Mitchelton-Scott came unstuck at the Giro for one reason. It wasn't inexperience or not fueling properly or a crash.  Purely and simply he pushed his body too far in an effort to make up time before the stage 16 time trial. He also pushed himself so far into the red in Trento to Rovereto TT his climbing legs abandoned him when he needed them most. He had 56 seconds over Tom Dumoulin as the race ticked over to stage 17. He was three days from becoming the first Briton to win the Giro.  The problem was his race was now done. His body exhausted after riding the hardest he'd ever ridden for over a week just to retain the maglia rosa heading into the Alps.  The