Ben Turner left the Renewi Tour in Belgium to replace a sick Chris Hamilton in the Ineos Grenadiers lineup at the Vuelta a España. Finlay Pickering received a late call-up to Bahrain Victorious after Damiano Caruso suffered a fracture in his right hand following a heavy fall less than 48 hours before the race. Caruso had won a solo stage at Vuelta a Burgos and previously won a mountain stage in the Vuelta in 2021. Filippo Ganna reported recent illness but intended to start. Pickering makes his Grand Tour debut while seeking a 2026 contract.
The Vuelta a España start list changed suddenly in the final hours before rider registration on Friday, with Ben Turner dashing from Renewi Tour in Belgium to replace a sick Chris Hamilton in the Ineos Grenadier s line-up. Fellow Briton Finlay Pickering also got a last minute call-up on Friday, replacing Damiano Caruso in the Bahrain Victorious team after the Italian fell and broke a bone in his hand less than 48 hours from the start of the Vuelta.
37-year-old Caruso had shown considerable promise for the Vuelta a España after he took a solo stage victory in the warm-up Vuelta a Burgos race. He won an ultra-tough mountain stage in the Vuelta back in 2021 and even attended Thursday's team presentation. However, as the team revealed on Friday, Caruso suffered a fracture in his right hand after a heavy fall.
Three times a top five-finisher in the Giro, including fifth overall this year, Caruso was considered an outsider for the GC battle, and was also set to have a support role for teammate and compatriot Antonio Tiberi. 23 times a starter in Grand Tours, his best Vuelta result overall was ninth, back in 2014. Caruso will be replaced by 22-year-old Pickering, the British rider making his debut in a Grand Tour as he also looks for a contract for 2026.
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