Madrid (AFP)
For lack of big names, the battle for the red jersey looks very indecisive on the Tour of Spain 2019, which starts Saturday in Torrevieja, in the southeast. And everything is open between the armadas Jumbo-Visma (Roglic, Kruijswijk), Movistar (Quintana) or Astana (Fuglsang, Lopez).
For its 74th edition, the Vuelta this year failed to attract the tenors who had been meeting the previous seasons. No Simon Yates, the outgoing winner, not Chris Froome, his predecessor, victim of a violent accident last June. And not Richard Carapaz, the winner of the Tour of Italy in the spring, last minute package due to a fall.
The least prestigious and unbridled of the three Grand Tours, which begins Saturday and ends on September 15 in Madrid, therefore presents a plateau more sparse than usual, where the Slovenian Primoz Roglic is a scarecrow because of its qualities against the clock.
It's also a 13.4-kilometer "team time" that starts this Saturday Vuelta in the spectacular setting of the Torrevieja saltworks in Alicante province (south-east). In this exercise, the Dutch Jumbo-Visma had floated on the Tour de France in July and seem able to win the first red jersey of this Vuelta.
"I think Roglic is the big favorite and he and his team-mates are practically going to start the Vuelta as leaders with this + team time," Colombian Nairo Quintana, winner of the 2016 race, prophesied Thursday.
But then, what scenario for the race? Who will take the initiative to control the pack? Having often crowned surprise runners in recent seasons (Horner, Aru), the Spanish event promises once again to maintain uncertainty.
- Tricky steps -
As usual, the organizers gave pride of place to the rugged arrivals (8 at the top), the steep slopes and the tricky stages.
The high mountains promise the spectacle, whether the final unparalleled ascent to the Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre, during the 5th stage, the terrible percentages of the Alto Mas de la Costa (7th stage), or a short day and nervous in Andorra with four kilometers of unpaved road just before the final climb to Cortals d'Encamp (9th stage).
Cape then to France for a day of rest in Pau (southwest) and an individual time trial of 36.2 kilometers rather hilly.
But the gaps created will still be fragile, given the following: the scary Alto de Los Machucos and its ramps reaching 28% (13th stage), the climb to the Santuario del Acebo (15th stage) or the endless Col de la Cubilla , 20km long (16th stage).
And everything could still switch during the 20th and penultimate stage: five passes, including two first category, and an unprecedented final climb to the Plataforma de Gredos, justice of the peace on the eve of the arrival at Madrid.
- Stars of tomorrow -
In short, given the course, you have to know how to ride, but especially climb! In addition to Roglic, his Dutch teammate Steven Kruijswijk, third of the recent Tour de France, corresponds to the profile.
But beware of the striking force of Astana: the Danish Jakob Fuglsang, injured on the Great Loop, is revenge. And Miguel Angel Lopez, third in the Tour of Spain last year, is perhaps the best climber on the set.
"I have a great opportunity and it's about getting better every day, hopefully it will be a great Vuelta," said the Colombian climber, nicknamed "Superman" on Thursday.
At Movistar, the abundance of leaders has not often been synonymous with success: Quintana, leaving next year at Arkéa-Samsic, has one last chance to shine in the Spanish colors alongside the world champion Alejandro Valverde.
In a cycle in full generational renewal, it is also the time of the stars of tomorrow: the Frenchman Pierre Latour (Ag2r-La Mondiale), the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE), the Colombian Sergio Higuita (EF-Education First) or still the British Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos) ...
Often dominating, the roller-compressor Ineos this time seems less formidable with the leader inconstant Wout Poels. What to decaden the race?
© 2019 AFP