Riders and management of Team Caja Rural-RGA will meet this week in Spain to lay out plans and objectives for the 2016 season.

Sport Director José Miguel Fernández said the get-together Thursday through Saturday will help set the tone for what he hopes is another successful year for the pro continental team co-title sponsored by Spanish banking group Grupo Caja Rural and its subsidiary, Seguros RGA.

"In this first meeting, we will get the opportunity to see everyone and start to shape the next season," Fernández said. "It will be several busy days of meetings and work with some of our sponsors, like trying on clothing and testing new materials."

Among the sponsors who will be on hand at the meetings in Tudela, Navarra, will be bicycle supplier Fuji, bicycle component company ROTOR, clothing sponsor Alé and helmet and sunglasses sponsor Spiuk.

Caja Rural-RGA won 17 races in 2015 among more than 50 podium finishes while also capturing the mountains classification at the Vuelta a España. Sprinter Carlos Barbero won a team-high five times: Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Burgos, Stage 2 of Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad de Madrid, two stages of the Tour de Beauce and the Parx Casino Philly Cycling Classic. The 24-year-old was also runner-up at the Spanish national road championships - one of his 21 top 10 results.

Also returning is Pello Bilbao, overall champion of the Tour de Beauce and winner of stages at Vuelta a Castilla y León and the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey. The 25-year-old Spanish climbing specialist won the mountains classification at Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol and the points classification at Vuelta a Castilla y Leon.

Other top returners include all-arounder José Gonçalves of Portugal and Spaniard Lluís Mas. Gonçalves won a stage of the Volta a Portugal and finished second and third on stages at the Vuelta a España. Mas was a stage winner at the Tour of Turkey and went on to represent Spain in the world championship road race in Richmond, Virginia.

"After a difficult start to the season due to several riders being injured, we were able to turn things around with Pello Bilbao's victory at Vuelta a Castilla y León," Fernández said. "From there, we were able to achieve several important victories, like at the Philadelphia Classic with Carlos Barbero, and Lluís Mas was spectacular at the Tour of Turkey. Our big goal was a stage win at the Vuelta a España. But after coming close several times, we came up just short."

Newcomers to Caja Rural-RGA's 20-rider roster include Spanish climber Alberto Gallego. The 24-year-old dueled with Nairo Quintana and Alberto Contador at the Route du Sud before finishing seventh overall and third in the best young rider classification. Gallego was also third overall at Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad de Madrid and at GP Internacional Torres Vedras.

Other promising prospects include Spaniards Diego Rubio and Jaime Roson. Rubio, 24, was overall runner-up at Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad de Madrid and second and third in the race's points and mountains classification, respectively. Roson, 22, is the reigning Under 23 national road champion and debuted with the team last year as a stagiaire at the USA Pro Challenge. He finished seventh on the race's queen stage on the way to 12th overall.

2016 Team Caja Rural-RGA Roster
 

Returning riders:
Javier Aramendia (ESP)
David Arroyo (ESP)
Carlos Barbero (ESP)
Miguel Angel Benito (ESP)
Pello Bilbao (ESP)
Hugh Carthy (GBR)
Fabricio Ferrari (URG)
José Gonçalves (POR)
Angel Madrazo (ESP)
Lluís Mas (ESP)
Antonio Molina (ESP)
Sergio Pardilla (ESP)
Eduard Prades (ESP)
Hector Saez (ESP)
Ricardo Vilela (POR)

New riders:
Alberto Gallego (ESP)
Domingo Gonçalves (POR)
Jonathan Lastra (ESP)
Jaime Roson (ESP)
Diego Rubio (ESP)