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Cataford and Piccoli named to Israel Start-up Nation’s Vuelta lineup

Both Canadians will be racing their second career Grand Tours

Photo by: Sirotti

For the second season in a row, there will be two Canadians at the Vuelta a EspaƱa, as Israel Start-up Nation named Alex Cataford and James Piccoli to its lineup two days before the start of the year’s final Grand Tour in Burgos. It will be Piccoli’s second consecutive Vuelta and Cataford’s first.

Last season Piccoli and Michael Woods, then with EF Pro Cycling, were the Canadians in the Vuelta. Woods memorably took his second career Vuelta stage victory on his way to 34th.

Piccoli has had a couple of fine stage race results this season: runner-up in the Tour du Rwanda and eighth in the Ruta del Sol. He has one more year on his ISUN contract.

James Piccoli on the Huy at this year’s La Fleche Wallonne. Photo: Sirotti

In 2020 Cataford rode the Giro d’Italia. He hurt his hip in a crash on Stage 8 and abandoned in the brutal weather of Stage 12. After DNF’s in his first two stage races of the season, Cataford finished his next four, including the recent Vuelta a Burgos, where Mikel Landa’s victory made him one of the favourites at the Vuelta. Like Piccoli and another fellow Canadian Guillaume Boivin, Cataford has another season left on his contract with ISUN.