Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez will be present at the World Championships in Richmond, Virginia. After a little controversy during the Vuelta a Espana, team manager Javier Minguez plays down speculations of rivalry between the two champions.

Indeed, on stage 21 of the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday, Alejandro Valverde won the intermediate sprint to take the points jersey while the incumbent, Joaquim Rodriguez, suffered a puncture. "I’m not worried. When on the circuit they will only think of the race", he told according to Spanish newspaper AS.

Spain for the World Championships:

Road race: Alejandro Valverde, Ion Izagirre, Jesus Herrada, Imanol Erviti, Jonathan Castroviejo, Joaquim Rodriguez, Daniel Moreno, Daniel Navarro, Luis Leon Sanchez
Individual time trial: Luis Leon Sanchez, Jonathan Castroviejo