Kiwi trio to start final Grand Tour of 2025

Dion Smith wins the Volta NXT Classic in the Netherlands this year will line up the Vuelta a Espana PHOTO: INTERMACHE-WANTY

Experienced rider George Bennett will join fellow Nelsonian Finn Fisher-Black and Dion Smith to fly the kiwi flag in the final Grand Tour of 2025, the Vuelta a España.

The trio will be on the start line in Turin, Italy at the weekend for the first stage with the Vuelta finishing in Madrid on September 14.

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Bennett (Israel Premier Tech) achieves his eighth start in the Vuelta a España, the most by any New Zealand rider, and his 16th Grand Tour overall which is second among all kiwis behind the 19 starts by Julian Dean.

Fisher-Black (Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe) and Smith (Intermache – Wanty) have both competed previously in the Vuelta a España. Smith’s second Vuelta start is his seventh in Grand Tours, having competed at the Tour de France three times and the Giro d’Italia twice.

Fisher-Black rides in his second Grand Tour after finishing on the podium on Stage 16 of the Vuelta two years ago.

Bennett produced arguably the most impressive Grand Tour result by a New Zealander, finishing 10th on general classification in 2016.

There are 21 stages over 3022kms in this year’s Vuelta a España.

Caption: Dion Smith wins the Volta NXT Classic in the Netherlands this year. (Credit: Intermache-Wanty)