Tour of Spain 2013: Riders to Watch as Mountain Stages Intensify

None of the Tour of Spain could really be classified as "flat," but Stage 8 represented the first real test for the climbers that will continue through to Stage 10's finish in Alto Hazallanas.

The King of the Mountains title is a prestigious award, and there are many riders gunning for that honour on this year's tour. Three of the likeliest candidates are outlined below.

Alejandro Valverde

One of the favourites for the entire Tour, the Spanish rider is an excellent climber so will relish the mountainous stages. Valverde won two stages in last year's race and currently sits in seventh place overall, still searching for his first stage win.

Stage 8 was a good opportunity for him to take one, but he left it too long to make his break. In an interview with Cycling News, Valverde lamented the missed chance:

"

I missed out, when I wanted to make my move at 400 metres to go it was too late. Maybe Nibali wanted to lose the jersey today, but in any case it's Monday's stage that really counts. That's the hardest of the three. But I would have liked a stage win today.

"

Even though Stage 8 slipped away from him, don't bet against him claiming at least one of the next two.

Leopold Konig

Konig may have been a surprise winner of Stage 8, but his impressive climb up the Penas Blancas ensured that people will be taking notice over the next few days.

In reality, those watching Konig's increased success over the last two years won't have been at all shocked by his emergence in this year's Tour. He won Stage 7 of this year's Tour of California as well as the Caerphilly mountain Stage 6 of the 2012 Tour of Britain. 

His climbing prowess should never have been in doubt.

Nicolas Roche

This year's current leader in the King of the Mountains leaderboard—as well as the overall leader after finishing third in Stage 8—the Irishman is a formidable climber, and his Saxo-Tinkoff team will be hoping for his string of good rides to continue.

Speaking to The Star, Roche described how benefited from some luck en route to claiming the lead:

"

I benefited from a bit of an opening when things stalled in the main pack behind Konig. I was only eight seconds behind Nibali before the stage and I've never led a Grand Tour before so I wanted to go all out and give it absolutely everything.

"

If he can finish on Monday with either the red or polka-dot jersey, he will be well set as the Tour reaches its halfway mark.