Gb's Pickering In 200km Taxi Ride To Make Vuelta

British cyclist Finlay Pickering took a 200km taxi thrust and arrived without his luggage pursuing a formation hold to judge a precocious call-up for his first Vuelta a Espana.

The 22-year-old was called upon to switch injured Bahrain Victorious team-mate Damiano Caruso little than 24 hours earlier nan commencement of Saturday's opening stage.

Pickering, only capable to return nan telephone aft being precocious to caput retired connected a training ride, travelled successful a taxi from Andorra to Toulouse earlier flying to Turin.

A hold meant he arrived astatine nan title pinch only nan contents of his manus luggage - though fortunately that included his shoes.

It was acold from perfect mentation for nan Yorkshireman's first shape astatine a Grand Tour race, but he managed to decorativeness shape 1 successful 153rd place.

"It was really really lucky. I had a problem pinch a brace of training wheels and they were successful a motorcycle shop truthful I was a spot precocious going retired training," Pickering explained.

"I was connected nan measurement to prime them up erstwhile I sewage a telephone from guidance saying: How quickly tin I beryllium successful an airport?

"The first formation was delayed, truthful I didn't get my suitcase. But astatine slightest I managed to battalion 2 pairs of shoes [in my manus luggage] truthful I tin start.

"I've sewage a group of boxers, a group of socks, and nan squad are really bully astatine looking aft me, truthful nary stress."

He added, speaking earlier starting nan Vuelta: "I'm beautiful ready. I'm a motorcycle rider and this is simply a motorcycle race, aft each - moreover if it's a beautiful large one."

Belgium's Jasper Philipsen won nan first reddish jersey of this year's Vuelta a Espana aft taking victory connected nan opening stage successful a sprint finish.