Alberto Contador hails ‘spectacular rider’ and reigning champion Remco Evenepoel ahead of Vuelta a Espana 2023

Alberto Contador heaped the plaudits on Remco Evenepoel as the Belgian begins his Vuelta a Espana defence on Saturday.

The three-time Vuelta winner believes Evenepoel will be pushed all the way by Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic, but feels last year’s champion is still the one to beat.

“I don’t think it’s a question of whether he’s better than others or not,” he told Eurosport.

“Right now, I think there is a rider who has got the measure of the Tour de France, which is Vingegaard, a rider who has done a perfect race from the first day to the last.

“Then we also talk about Primoz Roglic, who is capable of winning the Giro d’Italia or the Vuelta a Espana on three occasions.

“I think they are all great riders. It’s true that the most precocious of them all is Remco, who has already been the world champion, has won the Vuelta a Espana, and gives exhibitions in every race he goes to.

“He is a spectacular rider, but I wouldn’t put him better or worse than the rest.”

Contador gave his verdict on the key stages in this year’s race and believes both the individual and team time trials could be key in determining the ultimate general classification.

However, he feels a clearer picture of the genuine contenders will be gained after the climb between Sauveterre-de-Bearn and Larra-Belagua at Stage 14.

“The time trial, because of how good specialists Evenepoel, Vingegaard and Roglic are, will be a key point in the Stage 10. There we will be able to see the conditions that each one has to win.

“But also Stage 13, with the finish on the Tourmalet, and Stage 14, which climbs passes like Larra, are two stages that will clearly determine who will be the winner. It’s true that there will still be the mythical climb of the Angliru and that last stage in Madrid which, from my point of view, I think can allow you to make more differences than what you can do the Bola del Mundo.

“That is climbed very slowly and the differences between riders are not very big. On the other hand, this last stage in Madrid, I think it can give a lot of play. I think we’ll really see who’s going to win the Vuelta a Espana after Stage 14.”

British interest from the race comes from Ineos Grenadiers rider Geraint Thomas, and Contador is refusing to rule out the Welshman, despite his advancing years.

“He has a chance, that’s for sure. He may be 37 years old, but he’s a very solid rider,” he added.

“Last year, he finished third in the Tour de France behind two beasts like [Jonas] Vingegaard and [Tadej] Pogacar and, this year, in the only major Vuelta he has participated in, he finished second, just a few seconds behind Primoz Roglic in the Giro d’Italia.

“He clearly has something to say in this Vuelta a Espana.”