Chris Froome has described winning the Vuelta a Espana as his “next biggest priority” to the Tour de France, even if, as he said, it has been even less straightforward than usual for him to prepare for the Spanish Grand Tour this season.
Speaking in a rest day press conference, less than 24 hours after Froome turned in an immensely tenacious performance on the Lagos of Covadonga that sees him now lying third overall; the Team Sky leader outlined the reasons why he is so keen to triumph in Spain.
“I’d love to win the Vuelta, it’s a beautiful race, it’s a great part of the racing calendar, and after winning the Tour it’s my next biggest priority,” Froome told journalists in what is arguably his strongest declaration of intent about the Spanish Grand Tour to date.
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“It’s always been a little bit of an afterthought [compared to the Tour], but it’s the race that I first showed my potential as a GC rider, and it would mean a lot to me if I could win it one day.”
Froome’s breakthrough second place overall at the 2011 Vuelta was partly carved out in Peña Cabarga, where, in a spectacular head-to-head duel with the now retired overall winner Juan Jose Cobo, the Briton managed to inch ahead for a narrow but clear stage victory over the Spaniard. The Vuelta a Espana returns to the same climb on Wednesday, and Froome is keen to show what he can do there again.
Asked if he could even win the Vuelta outright on the same short, but agonisingly steep, 4.5-kilometre climb, Froome said: “I don’t think so. I wouldn’t take enough on [Nairo] Quintana there, but obviously it has special memories for me, it is a big stage for us.” Peña Cabarga is also where Vasil Kiryienka took Sky’s only stage win in the 2013 Vuelta, which Froome didn’t race.
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