The start list of the 68th Vuelta a España features interesting sprinters, such as Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), Leigh Howard and Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEDGE), Theo Bos and Mark Renshaw (Belkin), Koldo Fernandez and Robert Hunter (Garmin-Sharp), Max Richeze (Lampre-Merida), Greg Henderson (Lotto-Belisol), Gianni Meersman and Andrew Fenn (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Francesco Lasca (Caja Rural), Daniel Schorn (NetApp-Endura) and Adrien Petit (Cofidis). The young guns of Argos-Shimano also have high ambitions. John Degenkolb is their example to follow.

Prior to signing up for the WorldTour, Argos-Shimano made a huge impact on the Vuelta a España as an invited team in 2012. John Degenkolb was a hero of the race as he accumulated five stage wins and was therefore invited as a guest star to the presentation of the 2013 edition in Vigo. But the German won’t be back in action when the race kicks off from Galicia on August 24, neither will Tour de France four-time stage winner Marcel Kittel. However, there is a lot more to be seen from Argos-Shimano. The Dutch outfit has an expertise for developing up-and-coming sprinters.

Their latest talent who entered the circle of winners of bunch gallops is Nikias Arndt. The massive 21-year-old German (1.89m, 75kg) claimed stage 3 at the Arctic Race of Norway, outsprinting local hero Thor Hushovd (BMC Racing Team).

“The lead out I got in the last three kilometres is the reason why I was able to beat him,” Arndt explained. At Argos-Shimano, we have a lot of young guys who can sprint and lead out. We’ll go to the Vuelta without Marcel and John, but with Reinhardt [Janse van Rensburg], Roman [Sinkeldam] and myself. We won’t have a designated sprinter. We’re able to exchange roles according to the kind of finish and everybody’s form at the right moment. That’s what we did in Norway. We had a plan for the finale but we modified it with 5km to go.”

“This victory [in the Arctic Race of Norway] gives me a lot of confidence for the Vuelta,” continued Arndt who also enjoyed being the best young rider and third overall at the Arctic Race of Norway, a new ASO-organized event on the UCI calendar.

“We’ve learnt from last year that there aren’t many top sprinters targeting the Vuelta, so it gives us opportunities to step up a level. The slightly uphill finishes also suit our group to perfection. I’ve been asked in Norway if I was the new Kittel, I don’t think so! To try and sprint against Marcel is something crazy. I’m a different rider than him. We’ve raced together at the Tour of Turkey for example. I led him out on flat finishes and I got my chance to make my first top 3 as a professional [second behind André Greipel on stage 4 to Marmaris and third the day after] when the course was hilly before the sprint. Normally I can climb decently for a sprinter [so do Sinkeldam and Janse van Rensburg]. That’s also why we get the start at the Vuelta.”

The Argos-Shimano team feels at home in Spain as they have a permanent training camp in Altea in the community of Valencia where their riders from northern Europe (Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands) live when it’s too cold in their country. “We’re very enthusiastic about riding the Vuelta,” Arndt said. “It’s great to go there with a group of young guys. One of us is a climber and a GC rider: it’s Warren Barguil.”

Only one year after winning the Tour de l’Avenir, the 21-year-old Frenchman will start his first Grand Tour in Galicia, a region that offers a lot of similarities to his homeland of Brittany.