After a hugely encouraging neo-pro season, Miguel Ángel López has no shortage of ambition as he looks ahead to 2016 and beyond.
The 2014 Tour de l’Avenir champion hopes to prove his mettle in his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a España next season, and has stated his objective of winning all three of the three-week races before his career is over - a feat only ever achieved by six riders.
“The three Grand Tours have always captivated me, and my dream is to win all three one day. It’s not impossible, it’s difficult but it’s a question of preparaing yourself,” said the Colombian in a recent interview with Biciciclismo.
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The confidence emanating from the 21-year-old comes from a formative season with Astana in the WorldTour. He was seventh overall among esteemed company at the Tour de Suisse, finishing fourth on the Rettenbach Glacier summit finish, before winning a stage at the Vuelta a Burgos and taking fourth overall.
“It’s not bad for the first year,” he said, slightly disappointed to have only strung together 34 race days. “Still, I was second in a stage in Turkey and I was among the best in Switzerland. That was really important and motivating, racing with [Thibaut] Pinot, who then won the queen stage at the Tour de France, and Geraint Thomas, the number one domestique for [Chris] Froome. If I put the effort in, it means I should be able to perform to this level in a Grand Tour.”
López’s three-week debut is set to come at the 2016 Vuelta a España, after outings at the Tour de San Luis, Volta a Catalunya, Vuelta al Pais Vasco, and Tour de Romandie, among others. He hopes to be able to properly explore his potential in a race where Astana’s two star GC riders, Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru, may not be present.
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