Vuelta 2024 - Tips for your cycling fantasy team

The Vuelta 2024 kicks off on Saturday, August 17th, in Lisbon, which means it's the perfect time to finalize your cycling pool! Whether you're a seasoned cycling fan or new to the world of fantasy sports, putting together your team can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, we've got some handy tips to help you make the best choices and boost your chances of victory.

In this blog post, we'll share practical advice on selecting the right riders for your cycling pool. We'll give you an overview of the key riders and teams to watch, based on their recent performances and current form.

With these tips, you'll be all set to assemble a winning team and fully enjoy the Vuelta 2024. So, read on and find out how to dominate your Vuelta 2024 fantasy league! We'll cover the first 11 teams here, with the next 11 coming soon.

Alpecin - Deceuninck

Kaden Groves - The undisputed leader of Alpecin-Deceuninck and a true game-changer in the recent Giro, where he secured several podium finishes and an impressive 2nd place in the sprint classification. Since then, he’s only competed in three one-day races, but he knows how to peak at the right time. In this relatively small field of sprinters, Groves is a rider you definitely want on your team.

Arkea - B&B Hotels

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Astana - Qazaqstan Team

Lorenzo Fortunato - Fortunato was born for aggressive attacks, but in this year's Giro, he rode like a GC contender. He did quite well, finishing in 12th place, but we really prefer seeing him on the attack. A great pick!

Cofidis

Guillaume Martin - The 13th-place finisher from the last Tour says he’ll ride as a free agent. He consistently finishes between 10th and 15th in the standings. A solid but maybe not very exciting choice.

Jesus Herrada - The now 34-year-old Spaniard has already scored three stage wins in the Vuelta. You can count on him for a third consecutive stage win in as many editions. But which one will it be?!

Bryan Coquard - Coquard had another solid Tour this year, finishing 3rd in the points classification. However, his best stage result was 7th place. In the Vuelta, he'll be up against Van Aert and Groves, both of whom he’ll likely have to concede to in terms of pure speed.

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team

Ben O’Connor - The Australian is the undisputed leader of the French team. He secured an impressive 4th place in this year's Giro and recently showed his form with an 11th place finish in the Klasika San Sebastian. You can count on him for a solid top 10 finish.

Valentin Paret-Peintre - The 23-year-old lightweight was one of the revelations of the last Giro, securing an impressive stage win and finishing 16th overall. His most recent performance in the Tour of Burgos was rather unremarkable. Can the Frenchman muster one last strong finish, or is his (small) tank running on empty?

Felix Gall - The 26-year-old Austrian had a disappointing Tour, finishing 14th. In the team's communication, he’s positioned as the backup leader behind O’Connor. Plenty of reasons for doubt.

Victor Lafay - The big surprise from last year's Tour is back after a lingering knee injury. He could very well punch his way to a notable stage win.

dsm-firmenich PostNL

Max Poole - A great British talent at just 21 years old. He broke his elbow in the Tirreno earlier this year, which cost him a significant part of his season. He made a return in the Vuelta a Burgos, where he performed well, finishing 2nd in the overall classification. However, in last year’s Vuelta, he struggled considerably, ending up 49th. With such a challenging build-up, can Poole now deliver over a three-week Grand Tour? It’s a tough call.

Pavel Bittner - Many cycling enthusiasts had never heard of the 21-year-old Czech until his two stage wins in Burgos. The speedy Bittner handles hills well, which will be useful in this Vuelta. If he's priced right, he could be a great choice for your team.

EF Education - EasyPost

Richard Carapaz - Carapaz is a guarantee for excitement (and points). If he doesn’t succeed in the general classification, he’ll aim for stage wins and the mountains jersey, as he did in the last Tour. But the Ecuadorian also has the capability to perform well in the overall standings. He and his entire team have their sights set on this Vuelta.

Equipo Kern Pharma

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Euskaltel - Euskadi

Jon Aberasturi - We have a soft spot for Aberasturi, the speedy 35-year-old Spaniard who’s back with the Spanish team Euskaltel-Euskadi after two unremarkable years with Trek-Segafredo. He showed good form in Burgos with two podium finishes. Pick this guy!

Groupama - FDJ

David Gaudu - What is the 27-year-old Frenchman up to this season? So much potential, yet so few results. Could he secretly be missing rival Demare? He could (and should) snag a stage win, but the risk of another disappointment is high.

Stefan Kung -The Swiss rider in Grand Tours is a guarantee for few points. Despite having two interesting time trials, there are always several others who perform better.

INEOS Grenadiers

Thymen Arensman -  Often quite solid, but also rather unexciting. He has finished 6th in a Grand Tour three times (twice in the Giro, once in the Vuelta), which is genuinely impressive. With Carlos Rodriguez as his teammate, much like he had with Thomas in the last Giro, he has a strong ally by his side. Can he perform from day one? His preparation is promising.

Joshua Tarling - The 20-year-old time trial specialist from Great Britain. Could he wash away his 4th place finish at the Olympics with a red jersey and a win in the opening time trial? It’s quite possible.

Carlos Rodriguez - He underperformed in the last Tour with a 7th place, but he was dealing with Covid. This year, he’s tackling two Grand Tours in one season for the first time. However, back in his home country, he is definitely someone to watch closely. Like Arensman, he’s also competing for the young rider classification.

More following soon!