Sunday 16 September 2018 19:03, UK
Michal Kwiatkowski and David de la Cruz will lead Team Sky at the Vuelta a Espana, in the absence of Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
Poland's Kwiatkowski and Spain's De la Cruz, key lieutenants as Team Sky won the last four Grand Tours, are joined in the eight-rider squad by one Briton, Tao Geoghegan Hart, the team announced on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Londoner is making his Grand Tour debut as a reward for a superb first year with Team Sky.
Spain's Jonathan Castroviejo, Colombia's Sergio Henao, Italy's Salvatore Puccio, Pavel Sivakov of Russia and Holland's Dylan van Baarle complete the line-up.
Froome won the 2017 Vuelta, but will not be returning to defend the title after riding the last four Grand Tours.
The Vuelta win came either side of the 2017 Tour de France win and May 2018's Giro d'Italia success, while Froome finished third at July's Tour, won by team-mate Thomas.
Both Thomas and Froome will compete for Team Sky at the Tour of Britain, which runs from September 2-9.
On the Vuelta, which begins on Saturday with a prologue in Malaga and finishes in Madrid on September 16, Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford says it represents an opportunity for the riders selected.
After Team Sky won a first Tour with Sir Bradley Wiggins in 2012, Brailsford said one of his aims was for the squad to win all three Grand Tours in the same season. They have a chance to fulfil that at the Vuelta.
"We always enjoy racing at La Vuelta and historically we've enjoyed great success at this race, finishing on the podium four times before winning in 2017," Brailsford said.
"We've had a great season to date, winning both the Giro and the Tour, and we're determined to finish the season well."
