For the first time, Team Giant-Shimano will head into a grand tour with a focus on the GC when they line up at the Vuelta a Espana with Warren Barguil as team leader. In addition to targeting the overall standings, the team hopes to take a sprint win with John Degenkolb.

The final selection for the 69th Vuelta a España has been made and a strong, young team will head to this year's race headlined by Warren Barguil and John Degenkolb.

Degenkolb heads to the final Grand Tour of the season after a successful Tour de France campaign where he was instrumental in the team's victories as well as taking two second places of his own.

Barguil showed that his form is building well ahead of the race with an impressive performance at the recent Tour of Poland where he once again demonstrated his climbing capabilities.

La Vuelta gets underway with a team time trial on 23 August, this year in Jerez de la Frontera with a flat 12.6km effort.

Returning to the Vuelta after taking third on the final stage last year is Nikias Arndt, and he will be joined by Lawson Craddock and Chad Haga, both of whom are making their Grand Tour debut. These three were part of the group that spent over three weeks at a high-altitude training camp this July, together with Tobias Ludvigsson and Ramon Sinkeldam who also head to the Vuelta. 

The line-up is completed by road captain, Johannes Fröhlinger who will be starting his 11th Grand Tour, and Koen De Kort who lines up for this third Grand Tour of the season.

Team Giant-Shimano coach Christian Guiberteau said of the selection: "We head into the Vuelta with two real objectives, firstly to help support Warren towards a good overall result in the race.

"In this we will also help both Warren develop as a leader and also some of the other younger riders in the team to progress in working every day for an overall goal.

"As well as this we want to target a sprint win but the opportunities for this outcome are few and far between. With John, together with others, we have good options for these stages. The team will be built around aiming for these objectives while at the same time focusing on the development that you get from riding a Grand Tour."

Barguil said ahead of the race: "I head to the Vuelta really motivated to try for a good result overall and together with the team have worked towards being in the best shape possible. We have a strong team here and I hope that I can progress and prove myself."

La Vuelta final selection:
Nikias Arndt (GER)
Warren Barguil (FRA)
Lawson Craddock (USA)
John Degenkolb (GER)
Johannes Fröhlinger (GER)
Chad Haga (USA)
Koen De Kort (NED)
Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE)
Ramon Sinkeldam (NED)