Posted on 26/07/2016 14:58
Starts on Saturday 20 August, with a 29km time trial, followed by about 5 days of relatively flat stages, then into the mountains. And in typical Vuelta style, there aren't an awful lot of flat roads after that!
It's too early for teams to be announced, but a number if riders have already thrown their hats into the ring.
Anyone care to chose a rider now, before all the good ones go? 
Posted on 29/07/2016 17:46
According to Charley Wegelius, in his autobiography, the Vuelta is the race that none of the riders really want to enter, but their teams push them into it.
Many of them are contracted to new teams for the following season by then (negotiations often take place during and immediately after the Tour) so they aren't fully committed to their old team (and may be tired after a full season).
He tells of one rider who only took a small overnight bag with him to the 3 week Vuelta, tragically 'injured himself' on the first day and was on the next plane home.
Hopefully, despite this slightly jaundiced view, it will still be a good race. I'm sure the Spanish riders will still put up a good fight (Robert Millar, according to Richard Moore's excellent biography about him, always felt agrieved about the way the Spanish riders ganged up against him - despite them being on different teams).
IanH