Opinion: Mikel Landa, Thibaut Pinot, Chris Froome and the other riders points to prove this weekend at La Vuelta

After Richard Carapaz managed to save his Vuelta with victory on Penas Blancas on Thursday, many other riders will look to use the summit showdowns on La Pandera and the Alto Hoya de la Mora to mastermind their own return to the top table. For the man in red, Remco Evenepoel, Sunday’s blockbuster finale in the Sierra Nevada will not only be a chance to extend his lead at the top of the standings, but will also give the 22-year-old the opportunity to put another myth to bed – namely his inability to perform over long, tough climbs at altitude.

Ad Having already proven the critics wrong by making light of the hot weather and steepest ramps of the Vuelta, Evenepoel will eye a strong performance on the highest peak of the 77th edition. And a commanding performance on the Alto Hoya de la Mora, which rises to 2,510m, would set the scene perfectly for the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider to prove that he can see out the third week of a Grand Tour, and defend the lead deeper than he had ever gone before in a stage race.

Vuelta a España‘I hope to not lose any time’ – Evenepoel on weekend in the mountains3 HOURS AGO At the same time, Primoz Roglic will hope to reignite his bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Vuelta crown, while Spain’s Enric Mas will in turn eye his first Vuelta stage win in four years to silence those critics who believe him to be too defensive and lacking in panache. But let’s forget Evenepoel and his big rivals for a minute.

There are a whole host of riders who, like Carapaz, have not been at the races in Spain – riders from whom we expected a bit more but who could now set the record straight. Pedersen finally wins maiden Vuelta stage in style on punchy finish Vuelta 2022 route and stages: What’s in store