PARIS (Reuters) - The Vuelta is where everything started for Chris Froome and it could well be where he moves closer to the greatest grand tour riders as the Tour de France champion attempts a unique double in the modern era.
Only Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1973) have achieved that feat, but the Spanish race was then held in April-May.
Froome, instead, will have only had 25 days to rest before Saturday's Grand Depart in Nimes, France, on Saturday.
"I’ve got the opportunity and I’m certainly going to go for it," Froome said. "The Vuelta is a race I love – it’s vicious but it’s three weeks that I enjoy."
Froome has had his share of disappointment in the Vuelta, losing by 13 seconds to Spain's Juan Jose Cobo in 2011, the year he came to prominence, before settling again for second in 2014 and 2016.
Last year, the Team Sky rider effectively lost his chances after being trapped behind following an unexpected attack in a downhill by Alberto Contador, who will take part in his last race before heading into retirement.
The Spaniard, who won the last of his seven grand tour titles at the 2015 Giro d'Italia, is not among the top favorites after finishing ninth overall in the Tour, where Froome prevailed for the fourth time.