ROBBIE MCEWEN PREVIEWS THE 2022 LA VUELTA

Why is it so special and different to the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France?
For a lot of guys it's a chance to redeem yourself if you've been having a poor season. For whatever reason, lack of form sickness, injury, non-selection. It's a chance to redeem yourself. But the other thing that stuck out for me is that years ago there used to be lots of long stages. It was the most boring race on the calendar. But then they had the idea to shorten the stages, make it really punchy, like stages of 134 kilometres, 120 kilometres. There was all these really short stages, it became a much more entertaining race. For me, programme-wise, it was only it was only interesting if there were a bunch of late stages in the first week and, sort of selfishly, I had the chance to then jag a stage complete a trilogy in one season.

I think the attraction of the Vuelta used to be a lot for Spanish riders, but over the last 20 years, it's become a much more international race with a lot more appeal and a much better standing within the within the sport in terms of prestige.

General thoughts on this year’s Vuelta?
I actually think it's pretty balanced. There's enough chances for the sprinters which were lacking in this year's Tour. Six flat stages, maybe eight chances for sprinters for those who can survive a bit of a climb guys like Pettersen, for example. He's not the fastest of the bunch but there's days where he'll probably get rid of the absolute fastest and if his team can control then he's a good chance. I'll be interested to see how he goes in the Vuelta coming out of the Tour de France which was so ridiculously hard.

But for the rest, I actually quite like for the race, that there's nine summit finishes because I think that the two is a bit lacking in summit finishes which made the race a bit stand-offish on the final climb because there was a descent and then a flat section to the finish. It didn’t give that entertainment value of everybody laying it on the line, the Vuelta will have that a lot more, which again, gives more chances, on one side for someone to really dominate. But it also gives the opportunity for a lot more people to blow up more often, and things to be turned on their head more often.

Which of the 21 stages are you most looking forward to?
I love all of it. I'm always intrigued by the mechanics of a bunch sprint, and who gets it right and who gets it wrong and why and what they could have done and how someone got lucky or unlucky. I love those. But I do love the early mountain finishes when everybody's still pretty fresh and to see who's daring enough to go from a long way out. Of course, towards the end, there's the drama if you think someone's got it all under control, and then they just blow.

Which riders and teams are you most looking forward to watching?
For me, I'm curious to see how Remco Evenepoel goes in this Vuelta compared to the Giro that he rode, and see what lessons he's learned and how he's developed, if he can make progression as a GT rider, that's one thing.

Guys who had a failed tour, for whatever reason. Roglic, goes in as a favourite no matter that he had an injury and he's coming back. Yates to redeem himself after the Giro, when he went out with a knee injury. But I'm also curious how Jai Hindley can go now with this confidence he has now as a Grand Tour winner from the Giro. Ben O'Connor, I'm really curious, because he was so ready for the Tour. I reckon he's been able to turn things around pretty quickly, and get himself going for the Vuelta, and I think he's a definite podium, man.

Who’s your tip for the maillot rojo?
I want to say Simon Yates, but the amount of time-trialling has me doubting that.

Can Primoz Roglic make history (and win his fourth consecutive red jersey)? Or will a lot depend on his fitness after his fall on the Tour?
He could still do it. It's hard to know. I know he, as well as his team, will have left no stone unturned in his recovery. They are so meticulous, they've got everything at their disposal and if he's if he's starting, it means he's ready to start it. He will be really good.

For me, what's always suited Roglic with the Vuelta is its lack of complexity when it comes to the course and how hard fought it is to be at the front as opposed to the Tour de France. It's a less nervous race. It's a lot, big wide open roads, big Spanish straight, just everything open. The thing that could bring him undone is the early part of the race in Holland because the thing is with Roglic that if he can stay on his bike, he's incredibly hard to beat.

Can anyone such a Valverde, Nibali or a Jack Haig come from that next group of favourites to win the GC? Or a step too far?
I think Valverde and Nibali hunt stages. Maybe Valverde could finish in the top 10, 9th, 11th, but I think it'd be much nicer to see him go out with a bang and win a stage, win something epic. Nibali, I don't think he's a GC guy anymore. Again, he could run top 10, 9th, 8th, 10th, 11th…but I don't think that's what he's doing it for. I'd like to see him go out with something spectacular. Others from that second row - there's guys I think that can perform well. Jack Haig, if he can stay on his bike, he's a bit similar to Roglic actually. He's just hurt himself bad he's come off, broken bones, but I don't think to come from that second row and win it.

The 2022 Vuelta a Espana starts on Friday 19 August and runs until Sunday 11 September. Watch the action from the third and final Grand Tour of the year LIVE on discovery+, Eurosport and Eurosport App.