Aru heads to the Vuelta with some unfinished business

Astana has confirmed Fabio Aru will lead their team at this year's Vuelta a Espana, which starts Saturday, 19 August LIVE on SBS Viceland and OnDemand streaming.

Astana has confirmed Fabio Aru will lead the team at the Vuelta a Espana (AAP) Source: AAP

Astana has placed its faith in the 2015 Vuelta a Espana victor, with leadership of its 2017 team.

It's been far from the ideal season for Fabio Aru. The Italian looked forward to starting the 100th Giro d'Italia on his home island Sardinia until he was felled cruelly by a knee injury sustained in an April training crash. 

But he bounced back to racing, animating the Mont du Chat stage six of the Criterium du Dauphine, assisting teammate Jakob Fuglsang to the overall race win, and claimed fifth overall for himself. 

The newly-crowned Italian national champion wasn't on most punters' shortlists for this year's Tour but after time spent in the yellow jersey and a lot of panache, he and others possibly dared to dream.

But Aru suffered in the final week and slipped to fifth overall. He now looks to the Vuelta a Espana with no doubt a sense of unfinished business.

While Astana's full roster is not yet confirmed, Aru will definitely have Colombian young climber Miguel Angel Lopez and Spaniards Luis Leon Sanchez and Pello Bilbao along with him for the ride. 

The Vuelta a Espana starts Saturday, 19 August with all stages broadcast LIVE on SBS Viceland and OnDemand streaming.