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28th Urkiola Igoera-Subida Urkiola - 1.3
Spain, August 8, 2004
2003 Results Results Past winners
A sunnier Sunday for Saunier
By Martin Hardie
It couldn't have been a sunnier Sunday for Saunier Duval on Urkiola when Leonardo Piepoli topped off his teammate Miguel Martin Perdiguero's World Cup win in Donostia by taking his fourth win on the mythical climb of Urkiola. Ten years ago, a 23 year old Italian came here and beat the likes of Breukink, Chiappucci, Pantani and Simoni to obtain his first professional victory. Up until this weekend he has won here on three previous occasions (1995, 1999 and 2003), equalling the long standing record of Julio Jimenez. For the last year he has kept this day marked in his diary and although in the end he was pushed to the line and the limit by Francesco Casagrande, he had enough in the tank to ditch his countryman fifty meters from the incredibly steep finish.
In the closing stages of the race, the remains of the day's break was being reeled in as the race passed Durango for the second time up Urkiola. Xandio (Illes Baleares) and Torres (Cafes Baque) had enjoyed a decent advantage after leaving all their early companions behind, but as they passed the factory of Torres' team sponsor it was falling rapidly.
From here the road drags, slightly but noticeably uphill over 5 km from Durango to the foot of the climb in Euskaltel's manager Julian Gorospe's home town of Manaria. From Manaria it is 5.3 km up to the finish at an average of nearly 9.5% with many a ramp topping 14%. As Xandio and Torres started this drag and passed the corner at the end of your correspondent's street, their march was all but nearly finished and Torres patted Xandio on the back and the pair sat up and shook hands. From this point on Saunier had the race under control most of the time.
On the drag Cañada, Beloki and Zaballa pulled the head of the peloton. Behind them was Piepoli and he in turn was separated from Lampre and their man Casagrande by Paternina's pint size climbing machine Jonathon Gonzalez. The closer the race came to Manaria, the more crowded things became at the front as Euskaltel, Liberty, Relax, Baque and others tried to position themselves on the narrow road before the first real kick upwards.
As it was when the race went upwards, David Etxebarria was the first to make a real move. Mauricio Ardila was hanging just off the front through the first switchback, but as they progressed David put on the gas, the tiny local rider was throwing his bike in an attempt to break up the peloton. He did this with ease and very quickly going hard, looking back and going harder again. The 5 kilometre plus climb could in fact be broken up into three distinct attacks and actors. Act one was David's. He got himself a tidy advantage and held it with his successive bursts during the first kilometre of the climb - but by the time of the arrival of the 4 km banner his starring role was over. He had got the significant peloton of say 50 riders down to a group of Ardila, Herrero, Gonzalez, Garcia Quesada, Piepoli, Dueñas, Martinez, Casagrande, Serrano and himself.
The next act in this year's Urkiola passion play featured Paternina-Costa Almeria's Basque duo of David Herrero and Jonathon Gonzalez. Both have been active and successful this year with their new team. Herrero is one of a bunch of ex-Euskaltel riders who moved over this year; Gonzalez is a refugee from ONCE-Eroski. Gonzalez has got himself a couple of heroic mountain top wins this year. He came close to one in Burgos last week and obviously fancied himself on Urkiola.
With David's capture, Herrero set a solid pace with the Paternina pocket rocket tucked in behind. He in turn was marked by Casagrande. The race strayed like that over the next two kilometres, but as Herrero pulled of with his job done Gonzalez, who had looked in many ways the most comfortable of the group, sitting all the time whilst most everybody else swung their bike from side to side out of the saddle, seemed to suffer from the change of pace, not an increase in speed but just a change of rhythm.
As the ramp of the Txakurzulo started, a good few hundred metres at a delicate 14% gradient, the third and final act commenced. Firstly it was marked by the valiant efforts of David to try and get back on to the group that he had created in the first place. But ahead it was initially Garcia Quesada and Casagrande's moves that made that impossible. Garcia attacked through the first of two switchbacks just before the Txakurzulo, then he was countered by Casagrande into the second switchback.
As the Txakurzulo ramp got under way and the crowd really started to thicken Garcia tried gain. But up the left hand side came Piepoli and he made his move over the Perdiguero graffiti for good luck. Now there were only five: Piepoli, Casagrande, Ardila, Serrano and Garcia. Piepoli put his foot down again, this time leaving all but Casagrande behind in his wake. He flew up these final ramps that vary between 10 and 14%. With 500 metres to go Casagrande was glued to his wheel on the roads wet from the intermittent rain that had fallen all afternoon. With 200 metres to the road turns left and up its steepest part to the finish next to the stone and stained glass church on the mountain top. Casagrande started the uphill sprint on about 200 metres to go. It was neck and neck, shoulder to shoulder over the next 100 metres or so until with less than 50 to go, Piepoli got the better of Casagrande and crossed the line with time to celebrate his fourth successful Urkiola and Saunier Duval's 16th victory of the season.
Photography
Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti
- Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval) beats Francesco Casagrande (Lampre) to win Subida Urkiola for the fourth time.
Images by Oskar Matxin
- Zbigniew Piatek (Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf) works hard for his leader Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano.
- Alberto Hierro Seco (Cafés Baqué) suffering.
- Race favourite Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval-Prodir) didn't disappoint.
- Lander Euba Ziarrusta (Costa de Almeria-Paternina) finished 5'50 down in 36th place.
- Help! A rider receives a helping hand on the Urkiola.
- Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier Duval-Prodir) becomes the only rider to win the Subida Urkiola four times.
- Jose Antonio Lopez Gil (Illes Balears) gathers water for his team leaders.
Results - 160 km
1 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 3.51.26 (41.64 km/h) 2 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre 0.01 3 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 0.05 4 Marcos Antonio Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 0.13 5 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf 0.29 6 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 0.34 7 Jonathan González Rios (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 0.38 8 David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.42 9 Pedro Arreitunandia Quintero (Spa) Cafés Baqué 0.44 10 Moisés Dueñas Nevado (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 0.47 11 Patxi Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre 0.59 12 Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.09 13 Roberto Laiseka Jaio (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.10 14 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 15 David Latasa Lasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 1.20 16 Joseba Albizu Lizaso (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.22 17 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1.32 18 Alberto López De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.36 19 Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 1.40 20 Joseba Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.41 21 Joaquim Lopez Torrella (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 1.44 22 Michele Scotto d'Abusco (Ita) Lampre 2.08 23 David López García (Spa) Cafés Baqué 2.11 24 Jose Ángel Gómez Marchante (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 2.37 25 José Alberto Martínez Trinidad (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 2.41 26 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 3.09 27 Francisco Palacios San Emeterio (Spa) Cafés Baqué 3.12 28 José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 3.23 29 Nacor Burgos Rojo (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 3.40 30 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Liberty Seguros 3.48 31 Anton Luengo Celaya (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4.30 32 Javier González Barrera (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 4.36 33 Jon Del Rio (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 4.59 34 David Navas Chica (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 5.36 35 José Luis Rebollo Aguado (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 36 Lander Euba Ziarrusta (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 5.50 37 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 7.13 38 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Lampre 39 Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 40 David Garcia Dapena (Spa) L.A. Pecol 41 Aitor Silloniz Aresti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 42 Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) Brioches la Boulangère 43 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 44 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8.27 45 Javier Pascual Rodríguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 46 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 47 Fernando Torres Martín (Spa) Cafés Baqué 8.34 48 Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 8.56 Outside time limit TC Josep Jufré Pou (Spa) Relax-Bodysol TC Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf TC Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme TC Mikel Pradera Rodriguez (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto TC Mikel Elguezabal Fernández (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina TC Jokin Ormaetxea Badiola (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina TC Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Lampre TC Alberto Hierro Seco (Spa) Cafés Baqué TC Jesús Hernández Blázquez (Spa) Liberty Seguros TC Efraín Gutiérrez Sánchez (Spa) Cafés Baqué TC Ricardo Serrano Gonzalez (Spa) Cafés Baqué TC Julen Urbano Aretxabala (Spa) Cafés Baqué TC Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir Mountains Urkiola I - Cat. 1, 105.8 km 1 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 16 pts 2 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 12 3 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 10 4 Michele Scotto d'Abusco (Ita) Lampre 8 5 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 6 6 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 4 7 Aitor Silloniz Aresti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2 8 Fernando Torres Martin (Spa) Cafés Baqué 1 Urkiola (finish) - Cat. 1, 160.6 km 1 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 16 pts 2 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre 12 3 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 10 4 Marcos Antonio Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8 5 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf 6 6 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 4 7 Jonathan Gonzalez Rios (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 2 8 David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 Mountains classification 1 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 16 pts 2 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 16 3 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 14 4 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Lampre 12 5 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 12 6 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 10 7 Marcos Antonio Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8 8 Michele Scotto d'Abusco (Ita) Lampre 8 9 Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Chocolade Jacques-Wincor Nixdorf 6 10 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 4 Metas volantes Atxondo 1 Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 3 pts 2 Ricardo Serrano Gonzalez (Spa) Cafés Baqué 2 3 Gorka Arrizabalaga Agirre (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 Iurreta 1 Francisco Palacios San Emeterio (Spa) Cafés Baqué 3 pts 2 Markel Irizar Aranburu (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2 3 Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1 Izurtza 1 David Garcia Dapena (Spa) L.A. Pecol 3 pts 2 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2 3 Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) Brioches la Boulangère 1 Metas volantes classification 1 Francisco Palacios San Emeterio (Spa) Cafés Baqué 3 pts 2 David Garcia Dapena (Spa) L.A. Pecol 3 3 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2 4 Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) Brioches la Boulangère 1 5 Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1 Special sprints Abadiño 1 Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2 3 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 Mañaria 1 Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Javier Pascual Rodríguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2 3 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 Dima 1 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 3 pts 2 Fernando Torres Martín (Spa) Cafés Baqué 2 3 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 1 Special sprints classification 1 Mauro Zinetti (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 6 pts 2 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 3 3 Javier Pascual Rodríguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2 4 Fernando Torres Martín (Spa) Cafés Baqué 2 5 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa de Almeria-Paternina 1 6 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 7 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 Teams 1 Costa De Almeria - Paternina 11.37.14 2 Kelme - Costa Blanca 0.09 3 Lampre 0.12 4 Euskaltel - Euskadi 0.18 5 Liberty Seguros 1.58 6 Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.49 7 Cafés Baqué 3.11 8 Relax - Bodysol 4.12 9 Illes Balears-Banesto 14.30
Past Winners
2003 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) iBanesto.com160.0 kms in 3.53.59 2002 Dario Frigo (Ita) Tacconi Sport 160.0 kms in 3.47.18 2001 Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) 160.0 kms in 3.55.47 2000 Francesco Casagrande (Spa) 160.0 kms in 3.50.52 1999 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) 160.0 kms in 3.59.25 1998 Simone Borgheresi (Ita) 160.0 kms in 4.01.01 1997 Beat Zberg (Swi) 160.6 kms in 3.53.28 1996 José-Maria Jimenez (Spa) 160.6 kms in 3.49.00 1995 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) 160.6 kms in 3.47.25 1994 José-Maria Jimenez (Spa) 160.0 kms in 4.02.02 1993 Tony Rominger (Swi) 160.0 kms in 4.03.23 1992 Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) 160.0 kms in 4.22.30 1991 Pedro Delgado (Spa) 160.0 kms in 3.59.34 1990 Andrew Hampsten (USA) 170.0 kms in 4.24.50 1989 Andrew Hamsten (USA) 167.0 kms in 4.17.03 1988 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) 166.0 kms in 3.59.15 1987 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) 165.0 kms in 4.05.09 1986 Oscar de Jesus Vargas (Spa) 1969 Gabriel Mascaro (Spa) 1968 Joaquim Galera (Spa) 1966 Eusebio Velez (Spa) 1965 Julio Jimenez (Spa) 1964 Julio Jimenez (Spa) 1962 Julio Jimenez (Spa) 1961 Antonio Karmany (Spa) 1936 Claudio Leturiaga (Spa) 1931 Ricardo Ontera (Spa) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
