La Vuelta a Espana predictions and cycling betting tips
Giro winner Jai Hindley targeting a Grand Tour double
Free cycling tips, best bets and analysis for the 2022 Vuelta a Espana.
Where to watch
Stage one
Eurosport 1, 5.30pm Friday
Best bet
Jai Hindley to win La Vuelta
2pts each-way 6-1 Betfred
La Vuelta preview
History could be made at this year's Vuelta a Espana as Primoz Roglic bids to become the first cyclist to win the race four times in succession and only the second to claim a quartet of red jerseys.
The Slovene was by some margin the best rider when completing a hat-trick of Vuelta successes last year, dominating the race with four stage wins as he won the general classification by almost five minutes, but with question marks over his fitness and a much stronger line-up in opposition the 15-8 favourite is worth taking on.
Yes, Roglic can rely on the services of an ultra-strong Jumbo-Visma squad who, having already mastered the Vuelta, produced a masterful team performance to finally win the Tour de France with Jonas Vingegaard last month.
Roglic was among that number but, as has been his way at the Tour, an early crash saw him have to abandon the race before the third week and he hasn't raced since.
Most of his Vuelta rivals were not present at the Tour with the majority having targeted the Giro in May.
That race was won by Jai Hindley and the Australian could be the man to side with as he targets a Giro-Vuelta double last completed by Alberto Contador in 2008.
Hindley never panicked at the Giro, even when he was behind the re-opposing Richard Carapaz in the GC standings, and the Bora-Hansgrohe leader seized his chance on stage 19 with a significant attack to take the Maglia Rosa and defended it with assuredness on the final two stages.
The punishing climbs of La Vuelta will play to the Aussie's strengths and he had an encouraging warm-up at the recent Vuelta a Burgos, finishing seventh overall.
Giro runner-up Carapaz is likely to be in the mix again, although he had an inconspicuous prep at the Tour of Poland and it will be interesting to see how he fares as co-leader of the Ineos Grenadiers alongside Pavel Sivakov.
Big things have been expected of Remco Evenepoel and the Belgian starlet was once again at his maverick best at the prestigious one-day Clasica San Sebastien, but he has yet to prove he is ready to challenge in a three-week Grand Tour.
British hopes will be pinned on 2018 winner Simon Yates although, bar a distant third at the 2021 Giro, the Bury rider hasn't really threatened at a Grand Tour since his win in Spain four years ago.
The first three stages of this year's race take place in the Netherlands, beginning with a 23.2km team time-trial around Utrecht.
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