Chris Froome (left), Christopher Lawless (centre) and Owain Doull (right) at Tour of Yorkshire in May 2019
Olympic track champion Owain Doull is preparing for the most gruelling road challenge of his career after being picked for his first Grand Tour race.
Doull is in the Team Ineos squad for the three-week Vuelta a España which starts in Torrevieja on 24 August.
Tao Geoghegan Hart and Wout Poels are joint-leaders for Team Ineos in Spain.
"It is a completely different beast to whatever I have done before," said Doull.
Team Ineos are missing their three proven Grand Tour leaders, with Chris Froome out injured, while Egan Bernal and Geraint Thomas are both skipping the Vuelta after their one-two at the Tour de France.
Vasil Kiryienka, Salvatore Puccio, Ian Stannard, Kenny Elissonde and Sebastian Henao make up the eight-strong Team Ineos squad in Spain.
"The first part of the season was dedicated to the Classics and from that point I moved across to try to get in the Vuelta," said Doull.
"This is the biggest race on the road I will have done and hopefully a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
"My longest race before was nine days, so with this being three weeks it will be a challenge.
"I am looking forward to seeing how my body responds and making the most of the opportunities I have been given."
Doull will become the third Welshman from Team Ineos to ride in a Grand Tour following 2018 Tour de France champion Thomas and Luke Rowe.
Owain Doull was given an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours list after his Olympics gold in Rio
Doull hopes to emulate the achievements of Rowe, who has proved a successful road captain for Team Sky and Ineos in the recent Tour de France successes.
"My goal is to do something similar to Luke; what he does every year is what I aspire to," said Doull.
"To be able to race the Classics in a leadership role and then go to the big Grand Tours in a key support role is an ambition. Luke is definitely someone I look up to. "
Doull was part of the Olympic-winning team pursuit quartet at Rio 2016, but has ruled out a track return at Tokyo next year.
"I won't be riding the Track at the Games in Tokyo," said Doull.
"With the way track speeds are going even faster, it demands a lot more specifics, and you can't juggle road and the track like you used to.
"In 2016 it was hard, but for these Games it will be almost impossible if you want to carry on racing on the road.
"At the moment the road is going well and is something I have enjoyed and I am progressing.
"If I was going to go back to the track it would mean sacrificing the road, which at the moment I don't want to do."
