Spanish cycling great discusses top contenders' chances
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Nairo Quintana (Movistar) in red at the Vuelta(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nairo Quintana, Miguel Indurain and Joaquin Rodriguez(Image credit: Bettini)
Chris Froome meets Miguel Indurain on the podium(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Miguel Indurain was at the race today(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Miguel Indurain on the podium as Nairo Quintana collects the red leader's jersey(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Five-time Tour de France champion Miguel Indurain said that this year's edition of the Vuelta a España is proving to be "a good one for the spectators, with a very interesting fight for the top spot overall."
Already briefly present at a stage start in the first week, Indurain's second visit to the Vuelta came when the Spanish Grand Tour reached his home region of Navarre on Friday's stage 13.
"Both [Nairo] Quintana (Movistar) and [Chris] Froome (Team Sky) are on top of their game, Froome is gradually building up his strength and Nairo started really strongly, and we'll see how he gets on as the race progresses," Indurain told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
"Nairo has started out strongly, but the [stage 19] time trial could be tough for him," Indurain warned. "We'll see how he gets on."
Indurain singled out Quintana's teammate Alejandro Valverde, currently third overall and taking part in three Grand Tours in one season, for praise, too.
"That kind of consistency is something very exceptional," Indurain said, "Valverde's been fighting hard all year."
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Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The Independent, The Guardian, ProCycling, The Express and Reuters.
