The opening days of the Vuelta a España belong to the sprinters and the climbers are counting the days until the roads go vertical. David Moncoutié has won the Vuelta's climber's jersey for the last two years and he is eager to add a third win to his palmarès.
Moncoutié does not get tired of the same goal for this year. "Yes, of course it is still my objective. In fact, I have three: the mountains jersey for the third year in a row, a stage victory and a good placing in the overall," he said in interview on the team's website. The latter may affect his chances for the other two, as a lower standing has ensured in the past that he was given some leeway on the mountain roads of Spain.
But the Frenchman doesn't put too much pressure on himself. "If I can accomplish one of the three goals, that would already be good. Two of three, then it would really be a successful Vuelta. And if I can make it three of three, well then...[laughs]"
Moncoutié has won stages in the Tour de France, but has never been able to fulfill higher expectations of the French fans. Spain on the other hand seems quite right for the 35-year-old Lyon resident. "It simply suits me very well. The last two years I have been going well in the Vuelta. The parcours is always quite mountainous, there are not long stretches of flat sections like in the Tour de France and the roads are nice."
The case in point was today's second stage of the Vuelta a España, where the race ended in a bunch sprint. That was after having crossed the 1000-meter barrier, with a start in Sevilla pretty much at sea level.
He also likes the climate. "It is always nice and hot - it is a course for me," Moncoutié added. If he also enjoys the current extremely hot temperatures is debatable, but that's another reason to go into the mountains. Over the highest point in today's race, the temperatures were around 10 degrees cooler than near the start.
Moncoutié wasn't to be seen near the front over the top, but that was because there were no points awarded. Still, Moncoutié favors the hilly route. "It is really good. It goes up almost every day." Even in the flatter stages, there are hills. "That is a terrain where I can show myself. The last week is a real leg-breaker, but it is the penultimate stage that will be decisive, a day before the final in Madrid no less."
The 172-kilometer long stage 20 goes from San Martín de Valdeiglesias to Bola del Mundo. After a third category and two first category climbs, the stage finishes on the 21-kilometer long climb up to Bola del Mundo, at 2247 meters of altitude.
Moncoutié has studied the road book quite well. "I noted other sections where you have to be vigilant - going through Asturias won't be easy, but also the first week in Andalucia."