Vuelta great for climbers

The retired Spanish great, who won the Tour de France five times in a row from 1991-95, declared the route presented in Pamplona had "so many tough mountain stages I would have been stuffed from the start.

"It wouldn't have been possible for me to win this...too many summit finishes and very little time trialling.

"But this kind of route is exactly what the fans want, and the climbing specialists will have a great chance to win the race."

That includes Indurain's controversial compatriot Contador, who is still awaiting the outcome of a doping appeal hearing after testing positive in the 2010 Tour de France. If found guilty, he could face a two-year ban and being stripped of his Tour title.

The Vuelta kicks off on August 18 with a 16.2km team time trial in Pamplona along some of the streets used for the city's famous 'bull-runs'.

"It'll be very hot in August, and some sections are technical so the riders will have to be careful, but nowhere near as dangerous as running with the bulls in July," Indurain joked.

The first of seven mountain-top finishes comes on stage three to the Monte Arrate in the Basque Country, with a brief incursion into the Pyrenees of Andorra on stage eight.

Following a rare visit to Barcelona and a lengthy 1,200 km transfer to Galicia, the second week's hilly 42 km individual time trial and three summit finishes in northern Spain in as many days will likely decide the race overall.

Stage 18's dauntingly steep climb to the infamous Covadonga Lakes, home to some of western Europe's last wolves, is followed by an unprecedented 23km ascent to Cuitu Negro in the Picos de Europa mountain range on stage 19.

The race's final showdown is a repeat of 2010's ascent along three kilometres of rough cement track to the Bola del Mundo summit finish, close to Madrid.

"We've combined a very short total overall distance and no stages of more than 200 km with plenty of summit finishes," race director Javier Guillen told Reuters.

"It's a formula the fans like and which is good for the riders when the race comes so late in the season."

"This course will need a lot of reconnaissance, there are no easy days and the race will be tense from start to finish," warned last year's winner, Spain's Juan Jose Cobo.

"But I agree with Miguel (Indurain). It's definitely one for a climber."