Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan 2018

Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan race overview

The 2018 Vuelta Ciclista a la Provincia de San Juan, or Vuelta a San Juan for simplification, will once again serve as a launching pad into the 2018 season for Classics and Grand Tour contenders alike. Trek-Segafredo's Bauke Mollema won last year's race, which returned to the fore after the Tour de San Luis was cancelled.

Despite Mollema's overall win, Quick-Step Floors made headlines nearly every day with five wins out of seven stages. Fernando Gaviria and Max Richeze each doubled up on stage victories, while Tom Boonen claimed the stage 2 sprint as he prepared for his final Paris-Roubaix. Ramunas Navardauskas (Bahrain-Merida) won the time trial, and Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) took the Queen stage to Alto Colorado.

Gaviria and Richeze will return for Quick-Step Floors in 2018, while Trek-Segafredo's defence will be in the hands of Jarlinson Pantano. Vincenzo Nibali will lead Bahrain-Merida, while Colombian Darwin Atapuma will take the reins at UAE Team Emirates.

Eduardo Sepúlveda will lead Movistar in his first race with his new team, while Rafal Majka will return to his familiar spot at the head of affairs for Bora-Hansgrohe. Lotto Soudal bring a strong Classics-looking squad for the flat stages.

Other teams in the race include Israel Cycling Academy, UnitedHealthcare, Androni-Sidermac, Wilier Trestina, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Canel's Specialized, Sindicato Empleados Públicos of San Juan, Unieuro Trevigiani-Hemus 1896, Medellin-Inder, Coldeportes-Claro and national teams from Argentina, Italy, Uruguay, Chile and Cuba.

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