CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA

One of this edition’s two wildcard invitees approaches its participation with the same goal as in previous years: to repeat the unforgettable victory by Seville-born Antonio Piedra at the Lakes of Covadonga during the team’s debut season in La Vuelta. While they have come close on several occasions since, a second stage win continues to elude them. In 2019, Alex Aranburu nearly pulled it off in two sprint finishes, in Igualada and Bilbao. With the rider from Gipuzkoa no longer in their ranks, the Navarrese team will look to the rest of their young core to rekindle former glories in La Vuelta.
Caja Rural–Seguros RGA has twice claimed the King of the Mountains classification — in 2014 with Luis León Sánchez and again in 2015 with Omar Fraile. Both riders went on to sign with WorldTour teams at the end of those seasons, highlighting the team’s value as a launchpad to the top tier of professional cycling. Their best general classification result in La Vuelta came from the experienced David Arroyo, who finished 12th in 2015. Not far behind was another seasoned rider, Sergio Pardilla, who broke into the overall top 15 in 2017.