Spain with top stars to the Worlds

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Spain is sending a team of top winners to the UCI Road World Championships next week, with Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez backed up by Alberto Contador. National coach Javier Minguez said that the difficult 272km long course is good for his team.

The three captains will be supported by Jonathan Castroviejo, Jose Herrada, Samuel Sanchez, Egoi Martinez, Dani Moreno and Luis Leon Sanchez.  The reserve riders are Jesus Herrada, David Arroyo, Angel Vicioso, Juan Antonio Flecha and Xavier Zandio.

Minguez said that it would be “very complicated to control the race, since the road is very narrow and hinders team work.”  In the finale, he said, “only the very best will survive.”

Castroviejo and Sanchez will ride the time trial.

Spain's last World title was in 2004, when Oscar Freire won it for the third time.