The Spanish national selector Javier Minguez will choose his final 9-man line-up for the world championships during the final week of the Vuelta a Espana but already now he has made it clear that Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez will spearhead the country on the hilly course in Florence. Alberto Contador's presence is still in doubt while Jonathan Castroviejo and Luis-Leon Sanchez are likely to fill the two spots for the time trial.

The hilly world championships course in Florence have left climbers licking their lips in anticipation and most of the world's best riders for the toughest races have made the worlds road race one of their clear objectives. Spanish national selector Javier Minguez shares the assessment that the race will be won by a climber and so he has already now made it clear that his roster will be spearheaded by Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez.

Both have performed well in prior world championships with Rodriguez claiming the bronze medal on the tough Mendrisio course in 2009 and Valverde boasting both two silver and two bronze medals on his palmares with his most recent 3rd place having been taken last year. Known as some of the best riders for the Ardennes classics, both know how to contend for the win in long, hilly one-day races.

"They are the two best riders who may play a role in the final part, " Minguez told in a statement on the website of the Spanish federation. "The circuit is ideal for both and they both do really well in this kind of race."

Rodriguez and Valverde have both had a loaded racing schedule in the second half of the season. They finished in the top 10 in the Tour de France and are both targeting the win at the upcoming Vuelta a Espana. Minguez knows that that kind of preparation may not be ideal but accepts that his influence is limited.

"It's not up to me," he said. "If the federation paid them, maybe we'd do another program to prepare for the worlds. But as they race for their trade teams, I have to accept their programs and trust that they get to the end of the Vuelta in a condition suitable for the world. Logically they will be tired, but I hope they can contend for the win."

Another Spanish star rider who may be able to perform on the hilly course is Alberto Contador. Unlike Valverde and Rodriguez, he won't race his home grand tour and has already set his sights on next year's Tour. Whether he will line up in Florence is September is still to be determined.

"He will race several one-day races that may serve as a good preparation," he said. "He may himself decide whether he participates or not. I he feels good, I will talk to him because he can be a very important rider in our team. And if he doesn't feel well, I know that he will tell me."

While Minguez won't select his team for the road race until during the final week of the Vuelta - probably on the day where the peloton reaches Oviedo - he already has all but finished his selection for the time trial.

"On paper, our two best specialists and the riders with most options are Luis-Leon [Sanchez] and [Jonathan] Castroviejo but I still have to discuss it with them,"  he said.

Sanchez finished 2nd overall in the Tour de l'Ain yesterday and has set his sights on the Vuelta while Castroviejo raced the Tour and hasn't been in action since the Clasica San Sebastian. He is likely to follow a schedule that allows him to specifically prepare for the worlds.

The road race takes place on September 29 while the time trial will be held four days earlier.