AG2R La Mondiale at the vvv in aaa. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Andalucía-Cajasur (Image credit: Sirotti)
Fuji-Servetto (Image credit: Sirotti)
Lampre-NGC (Image credit: Sirotti)
USA's team Garmin-Slipstream at the vvv. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Swans watch the vvv. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Cofidis (Image credit: Sirotti)
Liquigas (Image credit: Sirotti)
Italian team Liquigas (Image credit: Sirotti)
Astana (Image credit: Sirotti)
Milram (Image credit: Sirotti)
Caisse d'Epargne (Image credit: Sirotti)
Française des Jeux (Image credit: Sirotti)
A swan in the canal watches the vvv. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Bbox Bouygues Telecom (Image credit: Sirotti)
A mean looking swan. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Team Cervélo TestTeam (Image credit: Sirotti)
Contentpolis-Ampo (Image credit: Sirotti)
Quick Step (Image credit: Sirotti)
Columbia-HTC (Image credit: Sirotti)
Spain's Xacobeo Galicia (Image credit: Sirotti)
Swans (Image credit: Sirotti)
Swans watch Saxo Bank presented. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Saxo Bank (Image credit: Sirotti)
Euskaltel-Euskadi presented in the rain. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Caisse d'Epargne (Image credit: Sirotti)
Vacansoleil (Image credit: Sirotti)
Rabobank (Image credit: Sirotti)
Fuji-Servetto (Image credit: Sirotti)
Lampre-NGC (Image credit: Sirotti)
Garmin-Slipstream (Image credit: Sirotti)
Liquigas (Image credit: Sirotti)
Liquigas presented at the vvv in aaa. (Image credit: Sirotti)
Milram (Image credit: Sirotti)
Silence-Lotto (Image credit: Sirotti)
Française des Jeux (Image credit: Sirotti)
The 64th Vuelta a España presented all 198 riders from 22 teams in Assen, Netherlands, yesterday. Olympic Champion Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) will wear race number one.
Defending champion Alberto Contador (Astana) skipped the race this year. Sánchez, Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto), Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) are favourites for the overall win.
It is Alexander Vinokourov's first time to race a Grand Tour since he was disqualified from the 2007 Tour de France. He served a two-year suspension and returns to race with team Astana.
The Vuelta a España starts today with a 4.5-kilometre time trial. There are four stages in The Netherlands before it transfers to Spain. The last stage is in Madrid, September 20.
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