"The pressure is on Jumbo-Visma" - Jan Bakelants believes Jumbo-Visma have the responsibility to control Vuelta a Espana

The Vuelta a Espana is to begin soon and we will have a big spectacle in the mountains. One of the most anticipated battles is that of Jumbo-Visma against Remco Evenepoel, and Jan Bakelants weighs in on the debate.

"I think this is an experiment at Jumbo-Visma with a view to next year's Tour," Bakelants argued in 'De Tribune' show. "I think Roglic would like to ride the Tour again. At Jumbo-Visma they want to test whether those two three weeks can correspond if they start on an equal footing. It is not a disadvantage to be with two, because Remco Evenepoel is now in the grip in advance. But I would like to see what Vingegaard does when Roglic comes into the jersey. I think it's an interesting experiment."

This is reinforced by the fact that Vingegaard's form coming into the race and how it'll evolve is a mystery. It is the first time in his career that the Dane will ride two Grand Tours in a season, in this case consecutively and after the colossal task of winning the Tour de France. He announced his Vuelta participation still during the Tour however which signals that he and the team already had this possibility in mind when preparing for the second half of the season.

Teaming up with an in-form Primoz Roglic who's just dominated the Vuelta a Burgos, the Belgian thinks Jumbo-Visma has the responsibility to control. "The pressure is on Jumbo-Visma. With that team and that duo, they are the top favorite. To carry the race and win the Vuelta. Individually, Vingegaard and Roglic are not necessarily stronger than Remco, but if they shoot over with two, he has to control two. I think that will do the trick. If those two find each other, that is."

Meanwhile Remco Evenepoel will take to the start in Barcelona with a very modest lineup for the mountains when comparing to rival teams. The battle will involve other riders and teams, most likely UAE Team Emirates and INEOS Grenadiers having a saying, and Bakelants believes that the indecision on which riders must be followed the most can lead to tactics that put him on the wrong foot.

"It would be a huge advantage for Remco if it immediately became clear who will be the real leader at Jumbo-Visma. Then you have one anchor point on which to fixate. But Jumbo-Visma will postpone that choice as long as possible. Roglic is definitely better than last year at the time of the Vuelta. For Vingegaard's form it is a matter of time, he is riding his second grand tour in three months," he concluded.