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VYING FOR THE VUELTA Predicting the field in Spain before the Tour de France is difficult. So we spoke to Irish Tinkoff-Saxo rider Nicolas Roche, son of former cycling Triple Crown champion Stephen and winner of Stage 2 in last year’s race, and asked him to explain the make-up of the field of riders competing for cycling’s final Grand Tour of the year. “You have the guy who’s just signed his contract for the following season, and so has a certain amount of pressure taken off of him because he’s not looking for a team for the following year,” Roche explains. “Or there’s the guy who hasn’t signed his contract and he knows it’s his last chance. “You also have the rider who is getting his first chance at a Grand Tour. And the rider who has had a really long season and he’s giving everything he’s got but there’s not much left. In that respect, the overall level of the Tour de France is still harder. But when you’re riding GC [General Classification – the overall ranking of riders by the time each one has taken to complete every stage combined], they’re just as hard. The list of team leaders capable of winning a Grand Tour, or who have already finished in the top five or the top 10 of a Grand Tour is numerous.” All of which means anything can happen – as evidenced by last year’s winner: the then 41-year-old Chris Horner. Horner (the American Lampre-Merida rider, not the Red Bull F1 team principle) will likely return to defend his title, although that will depend on his successfully negotiating the Tour de France first. There will be British interest with Team Sky’s presence. They are unlikely to send Chris Froome (second in 2011) after his Tour de France defence. But they might just send Sir Bradley Wiggins (third in 2011) for one last crack at a Grand Tour in black and blue – especially if, as expected, he is again absent in France in July. It will also be a good testing ground for his form ahead of the World Championship time trial. If you want to catch a glimpse of Wiggo – assuming he is involved – and want to adventure beyond Benalmádena, we recommend seeing the riders begin Stage 2 in Algeciras or the start of Stage 3 in the port of Cadiz. The latter will see the riders line up for the 188km stage to Arcos de la Frontera on board the Juan Carlos I Spanish Navy aircraft carrier – only the second time a Grand Tour stage will have started at sea.
ISSUE 02 | MARBELLAROCKS
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