The theme of this year's Vuelta, as it is most years, will be a bunch of riders looking for redemption and one last attempt to make something out of the season. The year's final grand tour and the last noteworthy stage race before the worlds should feature two completely separate but equally entertaining competitions within the competition.
The first major competition will be the number of top riders riding their final tour with their respective teams that are trying to go out on a high note and showcase themselves for their new teams. Here are the biggest names:
Schleck Bros- Nobody can dispute that it was a good year for Andy Schleck, and Frank's misfortunes had nothing to do with his form so the Schleck's really don't have to prove anything in this race. They should still come in as favorites for the title, with Andy at the top of his game these days and Frank supposedly in very good form after his recovery.
Denis Menchov- Having won it twice already, Menchov is no stranger to the Vuelta and he wants to put in one more strong performance leading Rabobank before transferring over to Geox next season. He is also having a rather good year, gaining a podium finish at the Tour this year and a large contract with the new Geox team.
Roman Kreuzinger- He may want to think of this as an audition for next year's leadership role with Astana. Riding his final Tour with Liquigas and getting full leadership of the team for the event, Kreuzinger looks to prove that he is ready to take his game to the next level with a top tier team. Oh, and why not get a high finish in a grand tour in the process?
Carlos Sastre- A good finish for Carlos here may be as important or more than anyone else in the field. He is desperate to prove that his dismal Tour (and perhaps the rest of his year) was just a bad stretch and not a sign of decline. He really needs to prove that he can still be a team leader, or Geox will give full leadership to Menchov and Sastre will end up as a backup/domestique.
The second thing to watch will be the bunch sprints. With nearly all (with a few exceptions) of the top sprinters in the world present, bunch sprints should be entertaining as any this year. Here are some guys to watch:
Mark Cavendish- I'm not sure I even have to explain anything more about this guy. He is currently the best at what he does and will be looking to defend his title as the world's top sprinter.
Tyler Farrar- Wow this guy has a massive chip on his shoulder too, and is beyond desperate for success at the Vuelta. After an absolutely dismal showing at the Tour (partly due to injury), Tyler finally gets his shot at a rematch vs Cav, Jet, and other top sprinters. He has to prove he wasn't a "one hit wonder."
Alessandro Petacchi- After a few years of minimal exposure, Jet burst back onto the scene this year with a 2 stage/green jersey performance at the Tour this year and put himself back onto the list amongst the world's top sprinters. He gets another crack at Cav/Tyler to cement himself back onto the top sprinter list.
Thor Hushovd- Hushovd will be looking to sign a deal somewhere soon, and needs to prove that he is not too old to hang with the young guns. Everyone knows that he is a smart, cunning sprint man, but the big question is just how much power he has left in his legs. He hopes to try to answer that question these next few weeks.
Here are some other names to keep an eye on:
Joaquim Rodriguez- Rodriguez isn't in jeopardy with his team like many others, but he is still looking to put a great performance together in his home country and get some more prestige.
Nicolas Roche- Roche is always dangerous, and can be a major stage hunter and threat for a top 10 GC finish.
Tejay Van Garderen- Ok, so he won't be a factor this year, but the Grand Tour debut for one of cycling's future stars should be noted.
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