La Vuelta's teams for 2007 - favourites to make amends for earlier unfulfilled ambitions?

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Jose Luis Arrieta (AG2R)(Image credit: AFP)

Tales from the peloton, August 30, 2007

This year's edition will be, as usual, marked by the absences. The whole 2006 podium won't be taking part this year either by doping-elated reasons (Vinokourov and Kashechkin) or for sporting reasons (Valverde). On the other hand, Vigo will hold the best participation ever, including Australian Cadel Evans, second in July's Tour de France, Damiano Cunego, a former Giro d'Italia winner, and locals Oscar Pereiro, Carlos Sastre and, perhaps the only rider who has had this race in his mind since January, Euskaltel-Euskadi's Samuel Sánchez.

Unzúe's and Echavarri's team won't have Valverde in Vigo's Grand Départ, but they have set up a very interesting squad. Oscar Pereiro, Vladimir Karpets and Vladimir Efimkin should be the strongest men in the mountains, backed by Deutschland Tour revelation David López García and hard-working 'Chente' García, Xabier Zandio and Imanol Erviti. Joan Horrach, Giro stage winner last year, completes the team.

This will be the last big appearance of team Discovery Channel. Johan Bruyneel has created an interesting Vuelta team in order to say goodbye as best as he can to the professional cycling. Tom Danielson will lead the team. Allan Davis and Tomas Vaitkus will seek their opportunities in the sprints and Egoi Martínez, José Luis Rubiera and Stijn Devolder will have to try and catch the break-always. The team classification could be its main goal, as it was last year.

Spaniard Samuel Sánchez has prepared this race with perseverance. His season began early, usually with Paris-Nice, and, after Vuelta al País Vasco and Spring Classics, he focused on the Vuelta. He showed that he is able to be near the best climbers last year in the mountains. And his improvement in the time trials makes him a dangerous rival. He will be supported by Haimar Zubeldia or Dionisio Galparsoro. Young Igor Antón and Koldo Fernández are looking for a stage win.

With País Vasco winner Juan José Cobo out of the team, David De La Fuente and veteran Leonardo Piepoli ought to be the ones to help José Angel Gomez Marchante on his way to the desired podium of Paseo de la Castellana. He was left out of the Tour selection as he wasn't in good shape after an injury, so he has focused his season in this race. Sprinter Ventoso, who have already won in the Vuelta, is also in the Vuelta squad of this Spanish team.

Alessandro Petacchi and Erik Zabel will lead Milram in the upcoming Vuelta. The Italian rider will be at the start in Vigo even though the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) tried to prevent his start. Matej Jurco, Martin Müller, Alberto Ongarato, Elia Rigotto, Fabio Sabatini, Marco Velo and Niki Terpstra will complete the team. Young Terpstra completed a good Deutschland Tour recently. The main goal of this team is, once again, stage wins. Last year, veteran Erik Zabel obtained two victories, including the final stage in Madrid.