With The Tour of Spain 2023 just around the corner, the 22 teams that participate in the test are preparing to seek the glory of victory in the Spanish round. On Saturday, August 26, the main cycling race that takes place in our country will start rolling, and, although anything can happen over 21 days and 3,153.8 kilometers, there are some athletes who have many options of having been competing the final victory the days before Sunday, September 17. These are eight of the most prominent:
Remco Evenepoel
The young Belgian from Soudal Quick-Step (for now) is a firm bet. He was champion last year in the Spanish round, and this year his performance seems to continue in full. He comes from winning the world time trial at the Glasgow World Cups, although, yes, the rumors that speak of his departure to other teams could have an unwanted effect on the performance of the 23-year-old cyclist.
Primož Roglic
The Slovenian veteran has an enviable track record in La Vuelta. Champion in 2019, 2020 and 2021 (also taking 9 stages along the way), his victory this year in the Giro shows that he keeps intact the touch that has given him such good results in the past. The Jumbo Visma cyclist is one of the strongest options in the Spanish round.
enric mas
The Spaniard has touched glory three times in La Vuelta, but this 2023 could finally be the moment in which he assaults the first place in the general. He comes from being second in 2022 after Evenepoel, although this year he has not had any really outstanding performance, perhaps saving his strength to take the Spanish test 100%.
Juan Ayuso
The Spaniard from UAE Team Emirates was third in the last edition of La Vuelta, and his youth makes us expect great things from the Catalan. This 2023 he was runner-up in the Spanish Road Championship, and Ayuso could be planning to improve his classification from last year in the edition that starts on August 26.
Geraint Thomas
The 37-year-old Briton is preparing to storm the victory in La Vuelta as the main candidate for INEOS Grenadiers. Thomas is a solid figure in the world of cycling, double gold medalist in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, although his last official conquest is the Tour of Switzerland in 2022. However, he comes from being second in the Giro, so his competitiveness is insured.
joao almeida
The Portuguese finished fifth in the last Tour of Spain, so there is no doubt that he has a basis to aspire to more. Juan Ayuso’s teammate in the UAE Team Emirates, he has, like the Spaniard, a great future ahead of him at just 25 years old. He just finished third in the Giro, winning a stage and the youth classification on the way.
carlos rodriguez
Youth continues to be the dominant note when it comes time to examine Spanish. At just 22 years old, his resume includes a seventh place in La Vuelta 2022 and a creditable fifth place in the 2023 Tour, in which he also took a stage victory. This may be the year he breaks out as a new big event winner and he claims an even bigger spot in the INEOS Grenadiers.
Richard Carapaz
Little can be said at this point about the Ecuadorian. Winner of the Giro d’Italia in 2019, since then he has alternated great performances in a different grand tour each year. Second in La Vuelta 2020, third in the 2021 Tour and second in the 2022 Giro, he will be the great bet of EF Education-EasyPost in this edition of the Spanish round.