With the 2014 Vuelta A Espana just around the corner, we are taking a look into some potential stage winners and when they'll likely succeed. With 8 summit finishes, a team time trial and 2 individual time trials, there proves to be a diverse range of stage winners.
“I’ve been riding my bike for last ten days, and yesterday was the first day I could climb a mountain pass without knee pain, and that excites me, motivates me and led me to take the decision that I will ride the Tour of Spain.” Alberto Contador speaks in a recent video he released. The Saxo Tinkoff rider withdrew from this year's Tour De France in July with a broken tibia in his right leg. Amazingly, the former Tour De France winner finished the stage, only to drop out overnight. Although an unlikely rider, considering the circumstances, Contador revealed that in the final week of the race, he will target a stage win. 2014 hasn't been all that bad for Contador, however, with him entering 5 races before the crash, winning 2 and finishing just behind in second in the other 3. Of course he'll be dissapointed not be be a contender, but the two times Vuelta winner (2008, 2012) is looking to win stages for his fellow Spanish compatriots, and to earn points for his team, Saxo Tinkoff. Contador will be joined by Chris Froome, another Tour De France favourite before he too crashed out with an injury.
With 2 individual time trials scheduled in the three week race, chances will arise for specialists such as Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara, both of which featured in the Tour De France. Adriano Malori however was not present in the this year's eventful mid-summer tour, but did ride in the Giro d'Italia in May. Martin (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) won 2 stages in Le Tour, displaying his natural descending talent after overtaking Cannondale's Allessandro De Marchi on the 9th stage, giving him the polka dot ountains jersey (that being the standout performance). Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) showed sporadic sparks of his ability, but failed to win a stage. The suiss isn't unacquainted with Tour wins however, winning 8 in The Tour De France (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 ), and 3 in the Vuelta A Espana (2009, 2014), so Cancellara has bragging rights on that ground, but with Martin being 28, and Cancellara being 33, Martin still has much time to claim many more; The time trials this year being very likely. Malori, however has the advantage - age wise - over both of them. At only 26, the Movistar man doesn't have any major stage wins, and was given the 'Lanterne Rouge' or the jersey given to the winner that finishes in last place. The Italian does have some time trial experience, winning the national time trial jersey twice at under 23 level, before winning the under 23 World Time Trial Championships followed by two senior national time trial victoies in 2011 and 2014.
Finally, the sprinters. Peter Sagan has had an agitated few months. Failing to win a stage in the Tour De France, despite being one of the favourites, Sagan still managed to retain the Green young rider jersey for the third year running. Sagan has been named as one of three leading rider's for Cannondale, alongside De Marchi and Caruso. All three of the leading Cannondale riders are all set to leave by the end of the year, with Sagan moving to Tinkoff-Saxo and De Marchi and Caruso both set to join BMC Racing. Di Marchi will be set to reprise the same role as given in summer; Seeking out long breakaways (in the mountains in particular) which he did so successively that he won the combativity award. Caruso has been assigned to lead in the mountains. Sagan has won 3 individual stages in the Vuelta in the past, all coming in 2011. Another rider to look in the final kilometer is Gerald Ciolek (MTN Qhubeka). At 27, the German rider has only won 1 stage at the Vuelta from 1 race, in which he withdrew. Ciolek won the 2013 Milan - San Remo race ahead of favourites Fabian Cancellara and the man himself, Peter Sagan. Knowing this will give the German a competiitive edge, knowing Sagan is very beatable, especially after the Tour De France. Expect a big finish if these 2 come head to head.