La Vuelta is ‘suited perfectly’ to Simon Yates – so can Brit win second title? And what of Remco Evenepoel?

This year’s Vuelta is “suited perfectly” to Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco), says Eurosport expert Adam Blythe, as the Brit targets a second title in Spain. Yates has struggled to recapture the form that propelled him to the 2018 Vuelta and within a whisker of the Giro d’Italia in the same year, failing to finish three of his last four Grand Tours.

Ad He is again among the favourites in Spain, although three-time champion Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and fancied youngster Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) grabbed most of the attention in the build-up. Vuelta a EspañaRampant Roglic seizes control after impressive Stage 4 winYESTERDAY AT 15:41 Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) sits in the red jersey after five stages following Jumbo’s decision to let it go on Wednesday, with Roglic leading the group of fancied riders at 4’09” and Evenepoel and Yates at 4’36 and 5’00” respectively.

Blythe and Dan Lloyd expect the individual time trial on Stage 10 – a 30.9km run from Elche to Alicante – to be pivotal in the battle for red, with the former pointing to Yates’ improved skills against the clock. “We always forget with Simon his time trial performances, he’s going like a rocket in time trials at the minute,” said Blythe.

“With him, he’s not quite there with Roglic and Remco, but he’s not that far off. “It’s a very good Vuelta for him and another good chance to win it again if he can.