Cycling: After numerous season highlights, as always, the last Grand Tour is on the program at the end of the cycling year: The Vuelta a España! The three-week national tour through Spain welcomes well-known drivers at the start again this year. We look at the entry list and see who has a chance of making the podium. These are our Vuelta favourites.
Another mountainous tour of Spain
The 20st Vuelta a España starts on August 71th. By September 11, the riders have to cover 3.277,3 km spread over 21 stages on the way from Ourense to Madrid. The 18 UCI World Tour teams and the four UCI Professional Continental teams equipped with a wildcard will be at the start. As with the Tour de France, the German team Bora-Argon 18 received permission to start alongside the two French teams Cofidis Solutions Crédits and Direct Énergie. The Spanish team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA completes the starting list. The favorites for overall victory this year include well-known drivers, but a few youngsters could also make their big breakthrough at the end of the year. But they have to excel in several disciplines at the same time. At the start there is a team time trial and in the last week the drivers have to fight alone against the clock. But the main focus is once again in the mountains, because no fewer than ten mountain finishes are on the program. So you definitely won't be able to drive at the front of this Vuelta at half throttle. But there are enough drivers who are believed to be capable of a top position. After all, a large part of the field of favorites in the Tour de France is also at the start here. Our Vuelta favorites include no fewer than nine riders + a few of their teammates.
Alberto ContadorTinkoff
The statistics speak for themselves: Alberto Contador won the Tour of Spain every time he started. Even the superstitious will believe in Contador's success: his three victories at the Vuelta came in 2008, 2012 and 2014 - 2016 would also be an even year. But all those statistics are in the past. Contador doesn't seem to be as strong as it used to be. He hasn't been able to defeat Quintana and Froome in important races in a man-to-man duel for a long time. After all: While Froome revealed slight weaknesses at the Olympic Games in Rio, Contador won the Vuelta a Burgos. The Spaniard has often managed to be in top form for the Vuelta, although a start was actually more of a coincidence. He will probably also be able to build on a strong team – in one of the last appearances of the Tinkoff team. In comparison to Movistar and Sky, however, one can probably be assessed as somewhat weaker.
Chris FroomeSky
Chris Froome has had impressive numbers since 2011. Especially in the Grand Tours, he was rarely beaten. In the past six years he has completed seven major national tours: four times the Tour and three times the Vuelta. In addition to three overall victories, there are three second places and one fourth place in the result lists. So far, however, he has been denied overall victory at the Vuelta. Will it finally be enough this year? After winning the Tour de France and two grueling races in Rio at the Olympics, it seems uncertain whether Froome will be able to return to his peak form straight away. The composition of his team will probably not fail. Team Sky will also be able to muster a strong squad here, even if the eight helpers will not be quite as strong as on the tour. Mikel Landa, for example, will be able to fill the gap in addition to helping out if Froome isn't feeling too well.
Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
Colombian Nairo Quintana will start alongside his teammate Alejandro Valverde. Both put on a disappointing performance in the Tour de France. The Colombian, who is otherwise so strong on the mountain, was by no means able to keep up with Chris Froome or even leave him standing in the high mountains. That should now be different at the Vuelta. Also because Quintana has not raced since the Tour de France and has concentrated on preparing for the Vuelta. His best result so far was fourth overall last year. If he's been able to manage his form better than he was a few months ago then he'll definitely be a top favorite on this very mountainous profile. The Movistar team will also traditionally be one of the strongest in the field. Not least because of the double leadership Quintana / Valverde. By the way: Valverde rode all three Grand Tours this year!
Esteban Chaves (Orica BikeExchange)
The Colombian Esteban Chaves made his breakthrough in professional cycling here a year ago. With two stage victories and fifth place in the overall standings, he left an exclamation mark in Spain. He then confirmed his good performance in May this year at the Giro d'Italia, when he finished second behind Vincenzo Nibali and was able to celebrate a stage win. Since then he has only competed in the Olympic road race, preparing for the Vuelta. So you can count on him in any case, as he will still be quite fresh compared to many other drivers. As usual, his Orica-BikeExchange team will mainly focus on stage wins. With Simon Yates, however, he can fall back on a talented helper in the mountains. Although he is not one of the Vuelta favorites, he will look to his brother's performance Adam had to be measured at the Tour de France.
Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo)
Steven Kruijswijk has almost won the vote for the unlucky fellow of the year. The Dutchman finished fourth overall at the Giro d'Italia in May. He probably would have signed this result before the start of the tour, but in the end he was more annoyed than happy afterwards. Because: He wore the jersey of the overall leader for a long time and already looked like the sure winner, before going off the track on a descent and crashing into a wall of ice and snow. Not only did he have to give up the Maglia Rosa, but he even stumbled off the podium. Now he wants to get his deserved podium place at the Vuelta. Together with noble helper Robert Gesink he should hold up the Dutch flag.
Andrew TalanskyCannondale
Cycling fans have been waiting for Andrew Talansky's breakthrough for some time. In 2012 he finished seventh in the Vuelta, and in 2013 he finished tenth in the Tour de France. Since then he has not been able to repeat these top results. The now almost 28-year-old American is now in the prime of cycling and quite a few people finally have more confidence in him at this Vuelta event. The reasons for this are not only the good performances at the Tour de Suisse and at home in California and Utah, but also the concentrated preparation for this Vuelta. He gave up the Tour de France and focused on the Tour of Spain. He will now start there as a leader. It is still uncertain whether he can rely on Rigoberto Uran's help.
Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana)
Colombia, Colombia, Colombia: Miguel Angel Lopez is already the third Colombian in our top 10. However, the biggest question marks are certainly behind the professional from Team Astana. The 22-year-old will contest his first Grand Tour. So far he has drawn attention to himself on the one-week tours. This year he was able to achieve his greatest success so far at the Tour de Suisse with the overall victory. After that he took a very long break and prepared for the Olympic road race and the Vuelta. To be reckoned with if he can quickly get used to the rigors of a Grand Tour. To count him directly among the absolute Vuelta favorites would probably be a little over the top.
Tejay Van Garderen (BMC)
Tejay Van Garderen has been one of the better drivers in the classification for years, but he too has not made a definitive breakthrough so far. He finished fifth in the 2012 and 2014 Tour de France, but those who saw him as the upcoming overall winner were bitterly disappointed afterwards. From time to time the American flashes his talent on week-long tours, but at 28 he has long outgrown the age of a talent. results are demanded not only by his fans but also by his team boss. Officially, he only went to this year's Tour de France as a helper for Richie Porte, but after Porte lost a lot of time very early on due to a breakdown, his hour as substitute captain could have come. But he couldn't fill this role either, so in the end he didn't play a role and was only 29th in the overall ranking. Now he too wants to use the Vuelta to save the messed up year of 2016 after all. If he can return to his former strengths then he is certainly one of the Vuelta favorites for a podium finish.
Pierre Latour (Ag2r)
France has another talented classification driver: Pierre Latour from Team Ag2r was deliberately not sent to his first Tour de France this year - even though he presented himself in good shape. The 22-year-old briefly took the overall lead in the Tour de Suisse, but then had to retire. A start in the Tour of France would not have been an issue anyway. Now he should first get used to the procedure of a Grand Tour at the Vuelta. If he manages to do this quickly, you can put him on the list of Vuelta favorites with a clear conscience. Because the shape seems to fit. A few days ago he finished third overall at the Tour de l'Ain. There is still room for improvement, which he will also need at the Vuelta. In any case, he is a hot candidate for the jersey of the best young professional.
