In his autobiography ex-pro Charly Wegelius likens the Vuelta to “the crew of a pirate ship“, “either riders didn’t want to be there or they were desperate to perform.” Thanks to its position as the last mountain stage race of the year the race offers redemption for some who haven’t had the season they want. For others the Vuelta a straight target, a prestigious goal and this year there’s the added twist of a training camp with several likely to hone form ahead of the World Championships in Innsbruck. We might question the motivations but it makes for a more lively race and increases the chance of surprise amid a field packed with strong contenders. Here’s a look at the GC contenders for the next three weeks…
