Lotto-Soudal confirm Vuelta a Espana line up

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Lotto-Soudal have confirmed its nine-rider team for the Vuelta a Espana, the third and final grand tour of the 2016 season. Australian Adam Hansen is the only non-Belgian rider named in the team and will extend his record run of 16 consecutive grand tours. Jelle Wallays, 27, is the only grand tour debutant in the squad.

Lotto Soudal's two stage winners from the Giro d'Italia, Andre Greipel and Tim Wellens, haven't been selected for the Vuelta. Thomas De Gendt, who won the Tour de France stage to Mont Ventoux, has been selected in the team and will look to take his chances via breakaways.

Tosh Van der Sande makes his fourth grand tour appearance at the Vuelta and enters the race off the back of a confidence boosting first professional win at the Tour de l'Ain. 

"It's true that this victory gives me some confidence for the Vuelta a España. I already looked at the course and there are some possibilities. Every rider of our team at Tour de l'Ain will also be part of the line-up for the last Grand Tour of the year. We are really looking forward to showing ourselves!", Van der Sande said.

Bart De Clercq provides the team with a top-20 general classification option, as does Maxime Monfort who has finished sixth overall at the race before. Sander Armée and Gert Dockx will make their second appearances at the Vuelta with 22-year-old Louis Vervaeke rounding out the squad.

The 71st Vuelta a Espana starts with a 29.4km team time trial from Balneario Laias to Castrelo de Mino on August 20, concluding September 11 in Madrid.

Lotto-Soudal for the 2016 Vuelta a Espana: Sander Armée, Bart De Clercq, Thomas De Gendt, Gert Dockx, Adam Hansen, Maxime Monfort, Tosh Van der Sande, Louis Vervaeke and Jelle Wallays.