Fabio Aru, defined his role in the Vuelta

The Sardinian will be co-captain of the Qhubeka-NextHash.

Reduced from more than decent results in recent weeks, including second place in the general classification of the Vuelta a Burgos, Fabio Aru is preparing to return to a grand tour, the Vuelta of Spain, with a role of great responsibility: complicit with the injuries to Domenico Pozzovivo and Emil Vinjebo, the villacidrese will be co-captain of his team, the Qhubeka-NextHash.

Aru will share the role of the team’s main point of reference with Colombian Sergio Henao, according to the hierarchies set by the South African team ahead of the stage race that begins Saturday, Aug. 14. “This will be my sixth time at the Vuelta, I have good memories here,” he told official Qhubeka-NextHash channels. “My first Vuelta I raced in 2014 and I won two stages. I was fighting with great champions like Contador, Froome, Purito and Valverde. Then in 2015, I won it and it was fantastic, it really changed my life.”

“As a country, I love Spain very much,” he added. “I love the passion the Spanish have for cycling. I think they also love me, my characteristics as a cyclist and the way I ride. When I have legs I always try to attack and I think they really appreciate this way of racing. The route in general, all the stages and the big climbs in Spain always amuse me a lot.”

“I’m looking forward to coming back to a big tour, because the last three years have been really difficult for me. This year I am experiencing a fresh start with a new team and new goals. This has allowed me to regain that good feeling in the saddle, from GP Lugano to Burgos, which I am very happy about. I will give my 100 percent at the Vuelta, in fact even more than 100 percent for this team. We were unlucky to lose Pozzovivo and Vinjebo to injury, we will ride for them as well,” Aru concluded.