Jumbo Visma seek sweep with Roglic and Vingegaard set for battle

The Vuelta a Espana peloton rolls out of Barcelona on Saturday with the same question on everyone's lips - who can stop an unprecedented Jumbo Visma sweep of the year's Grand Tours?

Rarely has an edition of the three-week Spanish duel featured such a high-calibre line-up with the reigning champions of all three Grand Tours on the start line.

Dutch outfit Jumbo Visma look formidable after naming Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard and Giro d'Italia overall champion Primoz Roglic as joint leaders.

Defending champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) will have something to prove after a COVID-19 positive test eliminated him from this year's Giro while he was wearing the maglia rosa, while Ineos Grenadiers have the experienced Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal as their GC options.

Mallorcan Enric Mas (Movistar) is one of several Spanish riders looking to make an impact, especially after he was forced to abandon the Tour de France after a crash on stage one.

Spain's Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) will also be one to watch but the focus for the battle for the maillot rojo will be very much on three-time Vuelta champion Roglic and Vingegaard and just how Jumbo Visma play their cards over the 21 stages and 3,100km to Madrid - a route that includes nine summit finishes.

Should either win overall it would be the first time a single team has won all three Grand Tours in a season.

"I think the battle will be to find Jumbo's weak point," Spanish great Alberto Contador, who will be analysing the race for Eurosport GCN, said ahead of the start.

Sprinters will have a few opportunities to make their mark but as has become tradition, La Vuelta a Espana is stacked with brutal days of horribly steep tarmac suited to the best climbers in the