Froome still mulling Vuelta ride

Tour de France winner Chris Froome will decide whether to ride the 2015 Vuelta a España within the next week.

All eyes on Froome: the Team Sky rider is likely to face stiffer opposition than the local juniors in Lacq if he lines up for the Vuelta a Espana (AAP). Source: AAP

The Team Sky rider remains open on the prospect of riding the Spanish Grand Tour, but has not yet made a decision either way. A definite yes or no is expected to come in the next few days, however.

“I’m leaving myself another week or ten days to decide, I’ll need to see with my team as well,” Froome told L’Équipe.

This year's Vuelta a España is increasingly taking on the shape of a 'rematch' event for this year's Tour de France contenders, with second- and third-place getters Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde from Movistar both lining up to start.

Also confirmed are BMC Racing's Tejay van Garderen, Astana's Vincenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru and Mikel Landa, and Katusha's Joaquim Rodriguez. Tinkoff-Saxo's Alberto Contador will not ride, having ended his season after his attempt at the Giro-Tour double fell short.

Froome has spent the days following the Tour on the profitable European criterium circuit, which he says is easier than racing full gas.

“A criterium is less intense than a race, you can take it as recovery,” Froome said. “But it’s true that I’m starting to get tired. Above all, I want to go home. I’ve been on the road a long time.”

The fact that Froome and his wife Michelle are expecting their first child later this year may also play into his decision on whether to ride the Vuelta.