Video: Le Mével targets Vuelta a España top ten

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Christophe Le Mével (Garmin-Cervélo) is aiming for the general classification in his third Vuelta a España participation. “I would like to for a good classification,” he had told Cyclingnews in a video interview at the Tour of Poland recently.

“With Dan Martin, we can work together to be in the top 10,” he said, and the US team planned has planned that the Irish climber will share the team leadership with the 31-year-old Frenchman.

Le Mével was 15th in last year’s Vuelta, and since 2009 he’s given sold performances in all of the grand tours in which he’s raced, except for the 2010 Tour de France, a result which was the trigger for his move from FDJ to Garmin.

The Vuelta’s mountainous parcours is hard but “less than the Giro,” says Le Mével. The Breton-born rider and Swiss resident is particularly excited to discover the ascent of the Angliru, on stage 15. “I like the steep climbs but it’ll be my first time”.

Next year Le Mével expects to go back to the Tour de France, where he finished 10th in 2009. “I’m French and it’s the best race for me,” he explained. Moreover, he doesn’t intend to race the Giro again, despite his 15th place overall last June. “Every year I have [pollen] allergies at the same period”.