Monday 11 September 2017 14:27, UK
Thibaut Courtois has backed "fantastic" Chris Froome to follow up his Tour de France success by winning the Vuelta.
The Chelsea goalkeeper says he always keeps an eye on the cycling classics and the sport is part of the culture back home in Belgium, second only to football.
Froome leads Vincenzo Nibali in the Vuelta by one minute 37 seconds ahead of Saturday's penultimate stage, with only tomorrow's procession into Madrid to come.
Vuelta success would make Froome the third cyclist after Jacques Anquetil in 1963 and Bernard Hinault in 1978 to complete the Tour de France and Vuelta double in the same year.
"He (Froome) can win it, it's a big thing to do because winning the Tour de France and La Vuelta in the same year is very hard," Courtois told Sky Sports News.
"This year as well there's a lot of competition in La Vuelta, so I think he proves himself as a fantastic rider."
When it comes to his own participation in the sport, though, Courtois is strictly an armchair fan: "I did it when I was younger but obviously now I think it's too dangerous.
"My father loves it, he does it a lot. Maybe after my career I'll start doing it but for now I just watch it at home."
