Despite having been far from his best so far in 2016, Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez hopes he is back to his best to try and defend his Vuelta al Pais Vasco title.

"I wasn't going brilliantly in the Volta a Catalunya,” Rodriguez told Cyclingnews on Saturday morning before starting the GP Miguel Indurain. "But I hope that I will be back to my top level soon and fighting for the overall win in the Vuelta al País Vasco."

Rodriguez says that race in the Basque Country, which has a really hilly and hard route, will be made even more difficult by the challenging weather forecast that is being predicted.

"It's going to be a very hard race, particularly if the bad weather that's forecast for next week kicks in. That time trial on the last day, with the descent off the Mount Arrate, could be really something if there's rain."