Last-minute Vuelta changes: Caruso out for Bahrain, Turner in for Ineos

Italian veteran Damiano Caruso will miss the upcoming Vuelta a España after fracturing his right hand in an unfortunate accident just days before the race start in Turin, Italy, on Saturday, 23 August.

The 37-year-old Bahrain-Victorious rider sustained the injury “after slipping on the floor yesterday evening,” the team released in a statement on Friday afternoon. 

22-year-old British rider, Finlay Pickering, will step up to replace Caruso in what will be his Grand Tour debut. Pickering last raced at the Vuelta a Burgos at the start of August, where he finished 23rd overall. 

With the absence of Caurso, Antonio Tiberi and Santiago Buitrago are set to lead the team in the mountains, with strong climbers such as Jack Haig, Torstein Træen and now Pickering on board too.

Bahrain-Victorious's Vuelta a España 2025 lineup:

• Santiago Buitrago
• Nicolò Buratti
• Roman Ermakov
• Jack Haig
• Mathijs Paasschens
• Finlay Pickering
• Antonio Tiberi
• Torstein Træen

Ineos Grenadiers also announced via social media that Ben Turner would replace Australian climber Lucas Hamilton in the British team’s lineup due to illness.

Turner, who was racing in the Renewi Tour as recently as yesterday, received the late call-up in what he described on social media as a ‘crazy 24 hours’, and will be on the start line on Saturday in Turin, Italy.

Turner made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta back in 2022 and has since added a further three Grand Tours to his collection, including the Tour de France twice. 

The 26-year-old British rider is in fine form after a strong Tour de Pologne, which saw him win stage 3, as well as take two 2nd places in the following two stages. He also finished 6th in the opening sprint at the Renewi Tour behind Tim Merlier, and may be in the mix in the finish on stage 1 of the Vuelta, which is expected to end with a sprinter's showdown.

Ineos Grenadiers's Vuelta a España 2025 lineup:

• Egan Bernal
• Filippo Ganna
• Michał Kwiatkowski
• Bob Jungels
• Victor Langellotti
• Magnus Sheffield
• Brandon Smith Rivera
• Ben Turner