Cycling news - No spot for Mathieu van der Poel at 2020 Vuelta a Espana, says Javier Guillen

Van der Poel is keen to develop as a road rider, and plans to continue to mix road racing with cyclo-cross and mountain biking in 2020.

And while Guillen praised "world class" Van der Poel, he admitted that some riders will have to be disappointed.

"I only have two wildcards and there are three Spanish ProContinental teams, so it's almost impossible to invite [Van der Poel's] Corendon-Circus," Guillén told Dutch website WielerFlits.

"I am very honoured that a world class rider like Mathieu van der Poel wants to ride the Vuelta a Espana. Van der Poel is not only a huge star in modern cycling, he also races aggressively. But it's very complicated."

"There are already three Spanish teams begging to participate in the Vuelta: Caja Rural-Seguros, Burgos-BH and Fundación Euskadi. And we have to disappoint one of them, while maintaining the philosophy of promoting Spanish cycling," Guillén continued.

But under UCI rules, Grand Tours are limited to 22 teams of eight riders. There are 19 teams in the 2020, while Total Direct Energie has earned an automatic wild card to the Grand Tours after finishing top of the 2019 rankings.

"I only have two wildcards left, while there are already three Spanish teams begging to participate in the Vuelta: Caja Rural-Seguros, Burgos-BH and Fundación Euskadi. And we have to disappoint one of them, while maintaining the philosophy of promoting Spanish cycling," Guillén said.