Ineos names its Vuelta a Espana team with Tao Geoghegan Hart and Wout Poels handed co-leadership roles

Tao Geoghegan Hart has been named co-leader of Ineos for the Vuelta a España as the team looks to a blend of youth and experience in the absence of their biggest names.

With no Egan Bernal or Geraint Thomas in the squad – nor the injured Chris Froome – Hart will enjoy co-leadership status alongside Wout Poels.

It is another show of faith from the team in the 24-year-old Londoner, who was co-leader alongside Pavel Sivakov in the Giro d'Italia in May before his race came to a premature end on stage 13 following a crash.

This will be only Hart's third grand tour after he made his debut in last year's Vuelta, when he finished 62nd overall. His most recent outing was the Tour of Poland, where he finished fifth overall earlier this month.

Poels, who played a key role for the team in the final week of the Tour de France last month, returns to the Vuelta for the first time since 2017, when he finished sixth overall while helping Froome to victory.

A trip to Spain will also allow Poels an opportunity to celebrate his 2011 Vuelta stage victory on the famed Angliru, which he was awarded last month following Juan José Cobo's disqualification from that year's race – with overall victory having been passed to Froome.

Hart is one of three Brits in the eight-man squad, with Welshman Owain Doull, 26, lining up for his first grand tour while the experienced Ian Stannard is also included.

"I believe we have a really talented blend of youth and experience in this team," sporting director Nicolas Portal said.

"The opportunity for Tao to learn from Wout as they lead our team is a special one and we have faith that both of them can leave their mark on this Vuelta.

"We are also delighted for Owain, who is riding his first grand tour for the Team. He's been building up to this moment and it's a great opportunity for him to ride alongside the likes of Ian and Vasil [Kiryienka] over the next three weeks as he takes the next step in his career."

The Vuelta a España gets under way on Saturday with a team time trial in Torrevieja.