Jayco AlUla brings GC leader O’Connor, hybrid Bouwman, two designated attackers, and a sprinter to the Vuelta a España
CyclingTuesday, 19 August 2025 at 12:00
Ben O’Connor, runner-up at last year’s Vuelta a España, returns this year aiming for another strong general classification result. His team, Jayco AlUla, announced their line-up and ambitions for the three-week race through Spain on Tuesday. Dutch rider Koen Bouwman is also included.
Team director Stephen Cummings explained the eight-man roster:
“We’ve got a strong team for the Vuelta a España, with Chris Harper, Ben O’Connor, and Eddie Dunbar for the climbs. Of course, nine of the stages finish uphill so hopefully they can be up there in those finishes, and we will aim to keep O’Connor in contention for the GC, too."
“Foldager has a fast finish, and he can also follow in bunch sprints so there are some good chances for him,” the Brit continued. “Bouwman will also be there to help in the mountains, while O’Brien, Juul Jensen, and Gamper, are hybrid riders. They can try to help O’Connor, Harper, and Dunbar when they can in the mountains and be present in breakaways and then help position Foldager for those other stages. I think the team time trial squad is very strong as well and we’ll be looking forward to a strong result on that stage."
Dunbar, who will transfer to Q36.5 after this season, won two stages last year.
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O’Connor took time to let it all soak in after the Tour de France
Team leader Ben O’Connor is also looking forward to another edition of the Vuelta. “After the Tour is always a time to let it all soak in and enjoy the celebration for winning a stage and finding success at the biggest race in the world. After, you get back stuck into the hard work to prepare for the Vuelta a España.”
“Last year, I had an amazing time leading the race for two weeks, wearing the red jersey, and it was a pretty special moment being on the podium,” said the Aussie. “I’m coming back this year aiming for another great result and another great time. The route in general is a bit of a mixture with some easier stages, along with climbs that suit me quite well. There are some iconic stages like the Angliru, which I’ve never actually done before. It’s one of the hardest climbs in the world, so I can tick that one off the list. Hopefully we’ll get to Madrid, and I can also be up there on GC myself.”
Selection Jayco AlUla Vuelta a Espana 2025
Ben O'Connor
Eddie Dunbar
Chris Harper
Koen Bouwman
Anders Foldager
Patrick Gamper
Chris Juul Jensen
Kell O'Brien
Eddie Dunbar
Chris Harper
Koen Bouwman
Anders Foldager
Patrick Gamper
Chris Juul Jensen
Kell O'Brien
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Latest Comments
- What the data doesn't show is how much of an effect drafting had for evenepoel. Pogacar went with del toro at 100km whilst Evenepoel was still in the bunch. Despite the bike changes he still had a lot of assistance getting back to the bunch. Pogacar then rode 60km solo whilst evenepoel rode with Healy/Skjelmose until going solo in thd last 10-15km. Thats ~20% less power / energy requirements for 45-50km. Apples and oranges...kevpt30-09-2025
- 👏👏Bea24-09-2025
- Agreed! As we all know now, Juan Ayuso will be on another team. But it was sweet to see him win the stages at La Vuelta. I do love the drama of cycling admittedly but its clear to see the talent of winners of stages in a Grand Tourryhw2814fq921-09-2025
- Pogacar has no competition he has won everything, I cant imagine even being him in that position!! Crazy. I am sure he has some back up plan for how he wants to spend his retirement years at age 30 onward. Does he like beer? Plenty of innovation in brewing. And you don't have to be super social. Chapeau/Cheers whatever you like Tadej you will do.ryhw2814fq921-09-2025
- Plus its confirmed that the Philadelphia Cycling Classic up the Manayunk Wall is back for 2026! hooray for thatryhw2814fq918-09-2025
- This is a dumb question but still why doesn't the UCI consider a grand tour in the USA in the future. We have the desolate/scary back roads in Pennsylvania and Virginia, just like in France with loads of rural land and hills. Plus the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and the Cascade/Olympic Mountains in Washington State. I'm sure it'll never happen but honestly people in PA/NJ/NY/VT/NH would love it. We are already sports fans, what is another sport to learn. I am forever optimistic about cycling in the US.ryhw2814fq918-09-2025
- Zonneveld makes some excellent points.The sponsorship model is broken and companies like Verizon who have multi billion dollar with a B ad budgets need to be involved again.
Brucegel17-09-2025 - Roger Vlaeminck says Mads is not a good rider? Where is the headline saying you don't even have to be a good rider to win the World Road Championship says Roger Vlaeminck, who never won it!!? Perhaps his aging mind needs to think about what the heck he's saying.packfiller7103-09-2025
- Wow, there is so much criticism of the UAE XRG riders. Why so much criticism is being leveled solely at the riders is baffling. The UAE XRG management deserves a good amount of the criticism aimed at the team, as a whole. They have not managed the talent they have at all. They failed miserably to properly handle young Isaac del Toro on that penultimate day of the Giro. And they have not handled Juan Ayuso well either. If they didn't have Tadej Pogacar in their roster, we might not be talking about them as winners, at all. So many think that Ayuso has shown that he is not a "team" player at all. Does anybody think that he might be thinking about his own future at this point? That he might want to feel like the team has his back, when they load the pressure onto him? And Joao is not a team leader. That burden might be laid on him by the management, but they need to properly support that assignment, not make it a contentious situation, within the team. And then how management has conducted themselves throughout this parting of ways between themselves and Ayuso has been totally indiscreet. And yet people want to pile onto Ayuso when he tells the truth about the manner that this is all soap opera is developing. He wants out. He shouldn't be getting so much negative criticism for that. It's a situation that has soured. Yes he has a contract, but he is not the first, nor will he be the last that wants to get out of a relationship that just isn't working anymore. And DeCauwer seems to have very vague reasons for criticizing Almeida. He does realize that Jonas is the second best Grand Tour rider of this current generation, so it should be no shame that Joao is behind him in the standings. Riders are giving their all in an extremely difficult sport that stretches them, often beyond their limits. Now many are wanting to send them to Behavioral School as well? The criticism ought to mellow out, or it ought to simply be ignored, as nothing more than blah, blah, blah, not worth the headlines it gets
reemmo002-09-2025 - In 5yrs, Pogi will be a top Twitch streamer living on baked goods while Urska is still racing.Veganpotter11-08-2025
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