Two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador will be among the big names missing when the Tour of Catalunya provides an early season tester to the stage race specialists this week.

Despite the absence of the Spaniard, who has opted for the two-day Criterium International next weekend, the race boasts a quality-packed field that will be keen to assess their climbing and time-trialling form.

Bradley Wiggins, a fourth-place finisher on the 2009 Tour de France, will be hoping to hand his Sky team the responsibility for defending the race lead — if the Briton wins the opening time trial over 3.6km on Monday.

Over six more days of racing across a mix of hilly and undulating terrain Wiggins will then get a chance to weigh up the form of last year’s Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.

Schleck, of Saxo Bank, should have the support of his brother Franck.

Former Giro d’Italia winner Ivan Basso will feature for the Liquigas team while Spaniard Carlos Sastre, the 2008 Tour de France winner who races for Cervelo, returns after a lengthy absence.

Contador, who recently claimed his second victory in France’s second-hardest stage race, the Paris-Nice, was scheduled to race in Catalunya but decided to change his plans last week.

His decision was seen by some as a direct attempt to provoke American rival Lance Armstrong, who is scheduled to race the Criterium International, which will be held in Corsica for the first time.

Stages
Monday: Lloret de Mar – Lloret de Mar (individual time trial 3.6 km)
Tuesday: Salt – Banyoles (182.6 km)
Wednesday: La Vall d’En Bas – La Seu d’Urgell (185.9 km)
Thursday: Oliana – Asco (209.7 km)
Friday: Asco – Cabaces (181.2 km)
Saturday: El Vendrell – Barcelona (161.9 km)
Sunday: Esport Parc (Sant Cugat) – Circuit de Catalunya (117.8 km)