Next week's lineup

Portuguese youngster leaves behind two-and-a-half-month absence following iliac artery surgery from congenital anomaly

The first edition of the BinckBank Tour (UCI WorldTour, August 7th-13th) under its new title sponsorship will mark the return into racing for Nuno Bico. The 23-year-old Portuguese rider from the Movistar Team had spent eleven weeks without any racing after stopping at the end of the Vuelta a Castilla y León, in late May, with huge pain in his left leg.

Subsequent medical checkups underwent by the Viseu-born cyclist revealed a congenital malformation on his iliac artery, which he got operated on May 31st. Forced to spent a whole month out of racing, Bico has invested his entire July getting back into form before linine up at the Netherlands from Monday.

Alongside Nuno, the Blues will bring an eight-man roster completed by Jasha Sütterlin, Imanol Erviti, Rory Sutherland, Winner Anacona, Dayer Quintana, Alex Dowsett and Gorka Izagirre. José Luis Laguía and José Luis Jaimerena will be the sports directors.