The Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez said on Thursday that he believes this year's Tour of Spain (Vuelta de Espana) will be packed with surprises.

The three-week race, which begins this weekend after several years in apparent decline, promises to have an improved profile thanks to the presence of two big names.

This year's race will be boosted by the presence of Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre, while the winner of the Giro de Italia Alberto Contador is the favorite to complete a Spanish- Italian double at the head of the powerful Astana team.

Contador, who won the 2007 Tour de France, will also be out to prove a point following Astana's exclusion from this year as a result of last year's doping scandals.

Nevertheless, speaking in Marca, Sanchez said he didn't believe the race would be a battle between the two.

"There are always surprises and there will be people who have their chance and who know this is the last chance they have to do something this season," he said, hinting that some of Contador's teammates could provide a challenge.

"They have (Levi) Leipheimer and (Andres) Klodden and there are riders who have come here to win the Vuelta de Espana, who are going to make it very hard for everyone," said Sanchez.

The Vuelta starts in Granada on Saturday and finishes in Madrid on Sept. 21.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2008)