Vuelta: Jumbo wants the triple with Tour winner Vingegaard

Jonas Vingegaard practised cheering at the official photo shoot for the Tour of Spain. When the Tour de France winner rolls off the start ramp at the 78th Vuelta a Espana on Saturday, he doesn't just want to round off the season.

Vuelta a Espana 2023: Vingegaard hot for victory

"I will try everything to win this Vuelta," said Vingegaard. He had landed in Barcelona the day before with a large yellow suitcase. However, he will have to change his colour scheme over the next three weeks. The leader's jersey is not yellow as in the Tour, but red.

>> The TOUR favourites check for the Vuelta a Espana

This is the first time that Vingegaard has ridden two major national tours in one year, and he has been preparing intensively in Switzerland over the past few weeks. And because it is new territory, Jumbo-Visma is starting with two cycling stars. Alongside Vingegaard, Giro winner Primoz Roglic is the co-captain. The Slovenian has already won the Vuelta a Espana three times - and overall victory is the team's big goal. "We have conquered Italy and France. Now we also want Spain," said Jumbo.

Vuelta a Espana 2023: Tough competition for Vingegaard

Remco Evenepoel is likely to be his biggest rival. The former world champion won the Vuelta last year. This year, the child prodigy actually wanted to triumph at the Giro d'Italia, but a positive corona test stopped him in the lead. That still annoys him. "The biggest goal is not to get Covid," said the Belgian with a grin. So now the Vuelta - and in a way, this is an endurance test for next year, when he wants to ride the Tour. In the mountains of Spain he can already measure himself against Vingegaard. Is that why he's keeping his head low? Evenepoel's goal: "A stage and a place on the podium at the end. A lot can happen in a Grand Tour."

In any case, only two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar is missing to turn the Vuelta into an annual meeting of the world's best cyclists. Geraint Thomas, the 2018 Tour de France winner who finished second in this year's Giro, will be there. "The podium would be nice, but I want to win. That's what you race for," said the 37-year-old. Bora captain Aleksandr Vlasov will also be at the start with the goal of overall victory. Lennard Kämna will be concentrating on a stage win.

Vuelta a Espana 2023: Team time trial at the start

The Vuelta a Espana starts on Saturday with a team time trial in Barcelona. Anything other than a victory for Jumbo-Visma would be a surprise. The first mountain finish is already scheduled for the third day in Andorra. The arrival on the Tourmalet on 8 September is likely to be a spectacle, and four days later the dreaded Angliru will have to be climbed. The final stage will take place around Madrid on 17 September.

>> This is the route of the 2023 Vuelta

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