After being part of GC wins in Algarve, Trentino, Yorksire and the Dauphine, Ian Boswell is heading into the Vuelta, his debut Grand Tour, looking to help Sky’s leader, Chris Froome, win once more.

The American told Team Sky’s website that Vuelta selection has been a goal of his all season long and he says he doesn’t want to just ride the race, but to help his team too.

“Getting selected for the Vuelta was one of the goals I set out to achieve at the start of the season, so it's nice to have done that. It's definitely a positive step for me and now I want to help deliver the results and be a valued member of that team.”

“I'm just excited to take part in a Grand Tour, especially with the team we're sending to Spain. I won't be there just to get my feet wet, we've got a star-studded team with the likes of Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Sergio Henao in there, so I'll have to perform. I had a little break after the Dauphine but have been working hard since then to make the team, and make sure I'm prepared for it.”

Boswell, 24, says that being selecte for the race is a sign he is going in the right direction. But for the American, he hopes this is only the beginning of a long and successful stage racing career.

”This is my third year as a pro so one of those goals at the start of the season was definitely stepping up. That motivated me and focused me on reaching the standard of rider I wanted to become. I've found my place in the team now and know the training that needs to be done to get up to this level. I struggled with injury during my first two seasons on the team, but that's behind me now and everything's come together this year. It's been a steady progression, but I'm happy it's been noticed, and although it took longer than expected, I'm now at the level I wanted to be a few years ago. It's been an awesome journey and hopefully this is only the beginning.”