Heavy transport Captain reports EGPWS warning during visual approach to Runway 26 at ABQ. Escape maneuver is started then approach is completed when warning ceases.

Narrative

Before we left; we talked about different techniques to safely get to Runway 26 at ABQ. I was Pilot Not Flying on this leg and have flown into ABQ 3 times in the past 2 weeks. Pattern altitude winds in ABQ were 35 KTS out of the west. Approach Control had us on a heading of 070 degrees to place us on a downwind. We had a general idea of the airport area but not the runway; so we did not call the runway to Approach. Finally; we called the runway in sight to Approach or we would have been taken over the hills to the west. By this time; and with the winds; we were now going to fly over the westernmost ridge on the approach to Runway 26. We talked about decreasing the rate of descent so as not to get a EGPWS warning. As we slowed and descended; we then got a brief EGPWS warning. Although visual with the hill; it was dusk and to be safe; we started and completed an EGPWS maneuver. It was over and we were clear in seconds. We then talked about and decided we could safely complete the approach to Runway 26. Rollout on final at about 3-4 NM from the end of the runway. No other problems. I tried to call the Tower on what type of vectors they can give to incoming flights to help position them for landing in a safe environment to Runway 26; but never got anyone to answer the phone. It seemed that Approach was not going to turn us unless we had the runway in sight. I guess they would have just let us fly over the hills to the east and then start to turn to final once we had the runway in sight. By the way; winds on the surface were 318 degrees at 8 KTS. We requested Runway 3 but were denied. However; the flight behind us got Runway 3! It would be great if Approach could give us vectors to a base position about 3.5 NM from the end of Runway 26. It would be our job to be fully configured and on speed and ready for the turn to final so that we are not flying over the hills to the east. I just happened to put in an ASAP report on approaches to Runway 26 last week; and while this is a slightly different report due to being an EGPWS event; it all comes down to having a safe ground track when flying an approach to Runway 26.