The Vuelta a España start list changed suddenly in the final hours before rider registration on Friday, with Ben Turner dashing from Renewi Tour in Belgium to replace a sick Chris Hamilton in the Ineos Grenadiers line-up.
Fellow Briton Finlay Pickering also got a last minute call-up on Friday, replacing Damiano Caruso in the Bahrain Victorious team after the Italian fell and broke a bone in his hand less than 48 hours from the start of the Vuelta.
Turner did not start stage 3 of the Rensi Tour on Friday and instead jumped on a plane to Italy to ride the Vuelta a España. Ineos Grenadiers were forced to make the late change after Lucas Hamilton became sick on Thursday. They attended the team presentation with just seven riders.
Filippo Ganna has also admitted he had been ill in the days before the start of the Vuelta but was determined to start the race after crashing out of the Tour de France on stage 1 and suffering with concussion.
37-year-old Caruso had shown considerable promise for the Vuelta a España after he took a solo stage victory in the warm-up Vuelta a Burgos race. He won an ultra-tough mountain stage in the Vuelta back in 2021 and even attended Thursday's team presentation.
However, as the team revealed on Friday, Caruso suffered a fracture in his right hand after a heavy fall. It was not clear where the accident happened.
Three times a top five-finisher in the Giro, including fifth overall this year, Caruso was considered an outsider for the GC battle, and was also set to have a support role for teammate and compatriot Antonio Tiberi.
23 times a starter in Grand Tours, his best Vuelta result overall was ninth, back in 2014. Caruso will be replaced by 22-year-old Pickering, the British rider making his debut in a Grand Tour as he also looks for a contract for 2026.
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