Israel-Premier Tech released its lineup for the 80th Vuelta a España and to great surprise there’s no Derek Gee, but instead Canada’s Pier-André Côté will get his first Grand Tour start. There will be two Canadians at the Vuelta, with Nickolas Zukowsky getting the start for Q.36.5. It’s his second Grand Tour.
There’s no reason yet why Gee was given the yank after months of his name on the tentative start list. Gee was also supposed to race the Tour de Poland but didn’t roll that WorldTour race yet either. Canadian Cycling Magazine has reached out to the team for more information on the change of plans for Gee, but has yet to hear back.
In his first year with the senior squad Côté has raced 43 days. He came eighth in the Baloise Belgium Tour’s time trial. Recently he didn’t finish the Tour de Poland, foregoing the time trial finale.
Cote representing Canada at last year’s Worlds.
Zukowsky’s first Grand Tour of the year ended prematurely, as he crashed out of the Giro d’Italia on Stage 4.
A kinghell bummer for Zukowsky early on the Giro’s Stage 4.
Zukowsky, the 2023 national road champion, was recently 53rd in the Vuelta a Burgos.