Menchov to receive Vuelta honour

Rabobank's Denis Menchov has a special trip planned for this week: The Vuelta a España second-placed will finally receive his title in Madrid on Thursday, March 23, after initially finishing the race ranked second behind Roberto Heras. Since the former Liberty Seguros rider was stripped of his win after testing positive for EPO, Menchov will now be officially declared the winner of the event.

The Russian, who won two stages in the 2005 Vuelta and wore the leader's jersey for nine days, therefore takes the first Grand Tour win for the Dutch Rabobank team. Numbers two and three, Spaniards Carlos Sastre and Francisco Mancebo, will also come to Madrid to receive their honours. The ceremony will be broadcast on Spanish television.