Alberto Contador will be aiming to become the first Spaniard to win all three of cycling's major road races when the Vuelta a Espana gets under way on Saturday.
Only Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, Italian Felice Gimondi and Belgian Eddy Merckx have won all of cycling's majors - the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta.
Contador, who won the 2007 Tour de France, added the Giro to his haul earlier this year despite entering the race late because of a doping controversy surrounding his Astana team.
That same controversy meant the 25-year-old was unable to defend his Tour title earlier this year, which instead went to compatriot Carlos Sastre.
Many are predicting the Vuelta will be a duel between the two Spaniards but Sastre, who was second in this event last year, believes Contador is in a different class.
"Alberto Contador went to the Giro without preparing for it and he won it," he told Spanish newspaper Marca.
"He's been specifically preparing for the Vuelta, so therefore he'll have it easier than the rest of us. He comes to the race fresh.
"I know they [the press] are already selling my battle with Contador. I'm not ready to make everyone happy.
"There are more riders in the Vuelta with chances to win it that just Contador and me."
Contador agrees that it will be more than a two-horse race.
"I don't think it'll be a head-to-head battle between Sastre and me," he said.
"There are a lot of really good riders who'll be fighting to win it."
Alejandro Valverde is another highly-rated Spaniard while Italian Damiano Cunego is also expected to push the favourites all the way.
Last year's winner, Russian rider Denis Menchov, is not participating.
The 3133km-long route begins in Andalusian city Granada on Saturday. The highlights are two gruelling days in the Pyrenees on stages seven and eight and the 12.5km Angliuru mountain-top finish on stage 13.
The race finishes in Madrid on September 21.