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57th Vuelta a España
Spain, September 7- 29, 2002
Live report Results Profile Previous stage Next stage
Stage 18 - September 26: Salamanca - Estación de la Covatilla (Béjar), 193.7 km
Heras takes 37 seconds from Gonzalez
Blanco king of the Covatilla with fighting stage win
By Jeff Jones
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In all probability, Vuelta leader Roberto Heras (USPS) will start the final time trial in Madrid with a 1'12 lead on his nearest rival Aitor Gonzalez (Kelme). That was the primary outcome of today's stage from Salamanca to La Covatilla. Heras finished an excellent second behind stage winner Santiago Blanco, who had started the final climb with a 6 minute lead which was greatly reduced at the top. Blanco had been part of the early break, and was brave enough to go it alone with 50 km of mountainous territory to go.
"If you don't attack you don't win," said Blanco. "When I reached La Covatilla I was prepared to die on my bicycle if necessary, but I was not going to give up. I knew that La Covatilla was easier nearer the top and that helped me keep going."
Although Heras succeeded in dropping Gonzalez with 3 km to go, the Kelme man fought every inch of the way to the finish to lose 37 seconds to Heras, helped by his teammate Oscar Sevilla who partly sacrificed his own chances to pace Gonzalez.
"I could have stayed with Beloki, but I had to stop to be with Aitor," said Sevilla. "Those were the orders of the team. Aitor failed at that moment and Vicente told me that he expected it, and that's what had to be done...I have sacrificed myself for Aitor and what is important is to win the Vuelta."
Before the stage, Heras had made it clear that he was going to attack on the climb to try and take a minute out of Gonzalez in order to give himself a good chance on Sunday. He didn't quite achieve that, meaning that if Gonzalez can ride like he did in Stage 10 where he put 1'34 into Heras on a shorter course, he will win the Vuelta. But Heras has the golden jersey on his shoulders now, and that could make the difference.
How it unfolded
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With all of the climbs happening in the second half of the stage today, it wasn't surprising that there were several attempts to get away in the first half. After the usual 50 km/h start, a break of 19 formed at kilometre 28, including sprinters Erik Zabel (Telekom), Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo), Sven Teutenberg (Phonak) and Jan Svorada (Lampre), as well as climbers Santi Blanco and Juan Antonio Flecha (iBanesto), Pietro Caucchioli (Alessio), and Joan Horrach (Milaneza-MSS) and Kelme's José Gutierrez, who can do a bit of both.
ONCE, Euskaltel, Saeco and US Postal did not have riders in the break, which was for all intents and purposes non-threatening to Roberto Heras' GC position, as Caucchioli was the best placed at 39 minutes back. The sprinters were up there to fight it out for the two points sprints at km 50 and 63, with Petacchi finishing ahead of Zabel in both and closing the gap ever so slightly in the points competition.
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After US Postal set an early controlling tempo, Saeco took over on the first climb of the day, the Puerto de Honduras, starting at kilometre 106. The red train did not succeed in reducing the six minute gap to the leaders, but kept it from getting too big with Saeco's Gilberto Simoni and Danilo Di Luca both having ambitions for the stage win.
By the top of the climb, the leading break was somewhat reduced, although Zabel and Petacchi were still there, with an outside hope to contest the third intermediate sprint at km 182 at the foot of La Covatilla. That idea didn't last long when Flecha and Blanco accelerated on the Cat. 2 Puerto de Tornavacas (km 143), with Flecha taking the mountain points before letting Blanco go ahead on the descent. Blanco rapidly built a 2 minute plus lead, as the riders behind him regrouped, with Flecha, Caucchioli, Horrach, Oriol, Guerra, Garmendia, and Gutierrez comprising the next group.
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Blanco soldiered on over the Puerto de Tremedal while the group behind him reduced further to Caucchioli, Flecha and Gutierrez, who were 2'08 down over the top. Another four minutes behind, US Postal had taken over the tempo making from Saeco, with Vandevelde and Rubiera doing their work at the front in preparation for the final climb of La Covatilla.
The USPS riders weren't completely alone, as two of the remaining three Acqua e Sapone riders, Santos Gonzalez and Miguel Martin Perdiguero, lent a hand on the lead up to the climb, looking like hired guns for the diminished Postal squad. Perdiguero lifted the tempo to such a degree coming up to 7 km to go that only Heras and Gonzalez could follow his wheel. When he pulled off, Heras wasted no time in attacking, and opened up a small lead on Gonzalez. 2 km up the road, Santiago Blanco was struggling up the climb to try and claim the stage win, with Caucchioli, Flecha and Gutierrez some minutes behind him.
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Heras' first attack was not the killer blow, and Gonzalez chased him down, followed by Sevilla, Beloki and Garcia Casas. Almost as soon as the five regrouped, Garcia Casas tried an attack of his own but Heras had other ideas, putting in a strong attack on the 10% slope to rid himself of everyone but Beloki, who followed him to the top as he did on l'Angliru.
Sevilla seemed to be in two minds: He was stronger than Gonzalez on the climb and tried, along with Garcia Casas, to recapture Beloki in the last 2 km. Gonzalez gradually started to fall back and Sevilla was ordered by his team director to go back and assist. He did so, and his sacrifice may give Kelme the Vuelta if Gonzalez can ride well on Sunday.
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In front, Heras had caught Caucchioli and Flecha with 2 km to go, and was intent on putting as much time as possible into Gonzalez. He couldn't catch Blanco though, who was battling with all his strength to hold onto his lead until the top. He had 1'20 with 1 km to go and it was enough, crossing the line jubilant but exhausted with 39 seconds to spare on Heras. Heras finished second, followed by Flecha and Beloki, who also kept his GC chances alive by conceding only 12 seconds to Heras. In seventh place came Sevilla with a grateful Gonzalez hugging his wheel to the line.
Heras didn't achieve the gains that he did on l'Angliru, but the important thing for him was that he increased his lead in the general classification. Although tomorrow's stage is by no means easy, the GC gaps should be maintained until Sunday's time trial in Madrid. Anything can happen there as the Vuelta once again comes down to the wire.
Photography
Images by Lavuelta.com
- Ruben Lobato (Acqua e Sapone) the last placed rider on GC
- Roberto Heras (USPS) chats with race director Enrique Franco at the start
- The peloton rolls out of Salamanca for the start of stage 18
- The peloton racing flat out in the early kilometres
- US Postal working hard during the first part of stage 18
- Mariano Piccoli (Lampre) works hard in the 19 man break for teammate Jan Svorada
- Three cows watch the racing with interest
- Jan Svorada (Lampre) takes the first sprint at Guijuelo
- Saeco get to the front of the peloton to control the gap to the leaders
- The leaders on the Puerto de Honduras
- The Saeco team working hard on the Honduras climb
- Joseba Beloki (ONCE) rode another good stage today
- Santi Blanco (iBanesto) on his own in the lead
- M A Perdiguero (Acqua e Sapone) during his leadout at the bottom of La Covatilla
- Roberto Heras (USPS) showed again that he is the best climber in the race on La Covatilla
- Santi Blanco (iBanesto) wins the stage atop La Covatilla
- Oscar Sevilla (Kelme) sacrificed some of his own chances today to lead Gonzalez home, 37 seconds behind Heras
- Roberto Heras (USPS) "Do I have enough?"
Images by AFP
- Santi Blanco (iBanesto) raises his arm as he wins the stage atop La Covatilla
Results
1 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 5.04.17 (38.19 km/h) 2 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 0.39 3 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 0.47 4 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 0.51 5 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 1.09 6 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 7 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.16 8 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 9 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 1.26 10 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.31 11 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 1.48 13 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 1.53 14 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 2.10 15 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 2.19 16 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast 17 Klaus Möller (Den) Milaneza-MSS 2.21 18 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.38 19 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 20 Pablo Lastras (Spa) iBanesto.com 21 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis 3.05 22 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis 23 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast 3.47 24 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 25 Rui Miguel Sousa (Por) Milaneza-MSS 26 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 27 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Lampre-Daikin 3.50 28 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 29 Tadej Vajlavec (Slo) Fassa Bortolo 30 José Garrido (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 4.07 31 Rafael Casero (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 4.16 32 Rui Lavarinhas (Por) Milaneza-MSS 33 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski 4.33 34 Joan Horrach (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 35 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 4.40 36 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 4.59 37 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio 5.13 38 Sylvester Szymyd (Pol) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 39 Steven Kleynen (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 5.33 40 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 6.21 41 Juan José De Los Angeles (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 7.09 42 Marcos Serrano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 8.24 43 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 44 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast 45 Christophe Oriol (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 8.44 46 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Team Telekom 9.36 47 J.Antonio Pecharroman (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 10.01 48 Jorge Ferria (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 10.34 49 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis 10.45 50 Rafael Diaz Justo (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 11.03 51 David Cańada (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 11.32 52 Massimo Codol (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 11.57 53 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 12.44 54 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 12.52 55 Oscar Laguna (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 56 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 13.19 57 Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre-Daikin 13.30 58 Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Team Telekom 15.23 59 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom 60 Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal Service 16.14 61 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) US Postal Service 62 José Maestre (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 16.24 63 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 19.44 64 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 65 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Coast 66 Mederic Clain (Fra) Cofidis 67 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 68 J.Manuel Vazquez (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 69 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) iBanesto.com 70 Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 71 Rubén Lobato Elvira (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 72 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 73 Nicola Loda (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 74 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 75 Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 76 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 77 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites 78 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis 79 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Fassa Bortolo 80 Jaime Hernandez (Spa) Team Coast 81 Andris Reiss (Lat) Index Alexia 82 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 83 Carlos Torrent (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 84 Aitor Osa (Spa) iBanesto.com 85 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 86 Aitor Kintana (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 87 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom 88 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 89 Mikel Artexte (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 90 Benoit Salmon (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems 91 Reto Bergmann (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 92 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 93 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Ag2R Prevoyance 94 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 95 Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 96 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 97 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance 20.22 98 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 21.04 99 Alessandro Guerra (Ita) Index Alexia 22.16 100 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 24.46 101 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 102 Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin 103 Mikel Pradera (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 104 Gorka Gerikagoitia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 105 Cyril Saugrain (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93 106 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 107 Juan Fuentes (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 108 Joao Silva (Por) Milaneza-MSS 109 Diego Ferrari (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 110 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis 111 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems 112 Juan Guillamon (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 113 Dario Gadeo (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 114 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 115 Robert Bartko (Ger) Team Telekom 116 Charles Wegelius (GBr) Mapei-Quick Step 117 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 118 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service 119 Pietro Zucconi (Swi) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 120 José Iván Gutierrez (Spa) iBanesto.com 121 Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 122 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 123 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 124 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 125 Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Bigmat.Auber 93 25.48 126 Sebastien Talabardon (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93 26.39 127 Sven Teutenberg (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems 30.45 128 David Zabriskie (USA) US Postal Service 30.49 129 Matthew White (Aus) US Postal Service 31.29 130 Germán Nieto (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 131 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Alessio 32.51 132 Alberto Vinale (Ita) Alessio DNF Elio Aggiano (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step DNF Jörg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski Points 1 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 25 pts 2 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 20 3 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 16 4 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 14 5 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 12 6 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 10 7 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 9 8 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 8 9 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 7 10 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 6 11 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 5 12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 4 13 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 3 14 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 2 15 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1 Mountains Puerto de Honduras - Cat. 1, km 116 1 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 16 pts 2 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 12 3 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 10 4 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 8 5 Alessandro Guerra (Ita) Index Alexia 6 6 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast 4 7 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis 3 8 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2 9 David Cańada (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 1 Puerto de Tornavacas - Cat. 2, km 150 1 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 10 pts 2 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 7 3 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 5 4 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast 3 5 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 2 6 Joan Horrach (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 1 Puerto de Tremedal - Cat. 2, km 168 1 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 10 pts 2 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 7 3 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 5 4 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 3 5 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast 2 6 Joan Horrach (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 1 E. de Esqui la Covatilla - Cat. Special, km 194 1 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 30 pts 2 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 25 3 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 20 4 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 16 5 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 12 6 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 10 7 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 8 8 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 6 9 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 4 10 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3 11 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 2 12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 1 Sprints Guijuelo - km 50.2 1 Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre-Daikin 4 pts 2 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2 3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom 1 Ledrada - km 63.2 1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 4 pts 2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom 2 3 Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1 Provincia de Salamanca - km 182 1 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 4 pts 2 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 2 3 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 1 Teams 1 iBanesto.com 15.16.16 2 Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.26 3 Team Coast 1.51 4 Milaneza-MSS 4.53 5 ONCE-Eroski 5.46 6 Fassa Bortolo 6.55 7 Cofidis 13.30 8 Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 14.59 9 Euskaltel-Euskadi 15.10 10 Lampre-Daikin 17.02 11 Saeco-Longoni Sport 25.02 12 US Postal Service 29.42 13 Relax-Fuenlabrada 34.15 14 Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 35.24 15 Team Telekom 36.57 16 Phonak Hearing Systems 39.53 17 Domo-Farm Frites 41.36 18 Bigmat.Auber 93 42.14 19 Ag2R Prevoyance 45.25 20 Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 46.18 21 Mapei-Quick Step 47.35 General classification after stage 18 1 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 66.58.09 2 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.12 3 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.45 4 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 2.09 5 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4.15 6 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 4.35 7 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 4.48 8 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 6.04 9 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 6.18 10 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast 7.00 11 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 7.25 12 Klaus Möller (Den) Milaneza-MSS 8.00 13 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 8.14 14 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 11.05 15 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis 12.21 16 Rui Miguel Sousa (Por) Milaneza-MSS 12.37 17 Pablo Lastras (Spa) iBanesto.com 14.56 18 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 18.28 19 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Fassa Bortolo 18.44 20 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 24.34 21 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 29.05 22 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast 36.58 23 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 39.34 24 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio 45.43 25 Steven Kleynen (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 47.51 26 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 48.48 27 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis 48.56 28 J.Antonio Pecharroman (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 49.05 29 Sylvester Szymyd (Pol) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 49.17 30 Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal Service 49.34 31 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 51.47 32 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 53.44 33 Rui Lavarinhas (Por) Milaneza-MSS 53.50 34 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 54.10 35 Joan Horrach (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 54.58 36 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 56.24 37 José Garrido (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 56.48 38 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski 57.37 39 Marcos Serrano (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 58.34 40 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.01.07 41 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 1.01.52 42 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Team Telekom 1.04.17 43 Rafael Casero (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 1.04.57 44 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.04.59 45 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.06.30 46 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 1.07.04 47 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 1.12.45 48 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 1.16.37 49 Massimo Codol (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 1.17.41 50 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 1.19.56 51 Joao Silva (Por) Milaneza-MSS 1.22.22 52 David Cańada (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 1.23.53 53 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) US Postal Service 1.25.00 54 Juan José De Los Angeles (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.28.27 55 Aitor Kintana (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 1.31.09 56 Aitor Osa (Spa) iBanesto.com 1.35.06 57 Oscar Laguna (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 1.35.55 58 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1.39.07 59 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.39.22 60 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 1.39.25 61 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.39.45 62 Alexandre Bocharov (Rus) Ag2R Prevoyance 1.41.52 63 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Lampre-Daikin 1.42.37 64 Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 1.45.26 65 Rafael Diaz Justo (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 1.46.40 66 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 1.47.31 67 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.51.15 68 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom 1.52.23 69 Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Fassa Bortolo 1.53.36 70 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.54.08 71 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance 1.59.41 72 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.59.57 73 Mederic Clain (Fra) Cofidis 2.00.21 74 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis 2.01.19 75 Juan Fuentes (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 2.02.41 76 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2.03.17 77 Benoit Salmon (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems 2.04.57 78 Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 2.06.31 79 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 2.07.35 80 Nicola Loda (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2.09.58 81 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites 2.10.57 82 Carlos Torrent (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 2.13.15 83 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2.15.15 84 Christophe Oriol (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 2.15.17 85 Reto Bergmann (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 2.15.38 86 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 2.15.44 87 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2.16.01 88 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom 2.16.45 89 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast 2.17.01 90 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) iBanesto.com 2.18.02 91 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis 2.18.18 92 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2.18.28 93 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 2.18.42 94 Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 2.19.13 95 Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Team Telekom 2.21.53 96 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.26.38 97 Mikel Pradera (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 2.27.21 98 J.Manuel Vazquez (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 2.27.44 99 José Iván Gutierrez (Spa) iBanesto.com 2.29.12 100 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 2.31.45 101 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems 2.33.19 102 Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2.34.14 103 Gorka Gerikagoitia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.35.50 104 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 2.36.33 105 Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre-Daikin 2.37.41 106 Andris Reiss (Lat) Index Alexia 2.39.40 107 José Maestre (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 2.40.40 108 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2.41.54 109 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.43.08 110 Cyril Saugrain (Fra) Bigmat.Auber 93 2.46.53 111 Robert Bartko (Ger) Team Telekom 2.46.59 112 Dario Gadeo (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 2.48.07 113 Diego Ferrari (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2.48.38 114 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 2.51.21 115 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service 2.52.35 116 Jaime Hernandez (Spa) Team Coast 2.54.54 117 Pietro Zucconi (Swi) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2.56.20 118 Alessandro Guerra (Ita) Index Alexia 2.57.02 119 Juan Guillamon (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 3.05.12 120 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis 3.05.15 121 Alexei Sivakov (Rus) Bigmat.Auber 93 3.06.16 122 Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Lampre-Daikin 3.12.02 123 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Coast 3.17.49 124 Rubén Lobato Elvira (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 3.19.58 Points classification 1 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom 168 pts 2 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 141 3 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 106 4 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 85 5 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport 80 6 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 77 7 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 76 8 Pablo Lastras (Spa) iBanesto.com 71 9 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 64 10 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast 64 11 Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 62 12 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 54 13 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 53 14 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 53 15 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 53 16 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 47 17 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 44 18 Oscar Laguna (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 42 19 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 42 20 Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre-Daikin 36 21 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 36 22 David Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 34 23 Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 32 24 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis 31 25 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 30 26 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 29 27 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 28 28 Klaus Möller (Den) Milaneza-MSS 27 29 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 26 30 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 26 31 Aitor Osa (Spa) iBanesto.com 25 32 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 23 33 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 22 34 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 21 35 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 18 36 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 17 37 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 16 38 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 16 39 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 14 40 Mederic Clain (Fra) Cofidis 14 41 Juan Guillamon (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 14 42 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 13 43 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 13 44 Dario Gadeo (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 12 45 Rui Miguel Sousa (Por) Milaneza-MSS 12 46 Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal Service 12 47 Carlos Torrent (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 12 48 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast 11 49 Nicola Loda (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 11 50 Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 11 51 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 10 52 Alessandro Guerra (Ita) Index Alexia 9 53 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) iBanesto.com 8 54 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8 55 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 7 56 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis 7 57 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites 6 58 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio 5 59 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 5 60 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 5 61 Nicolas Portal (Fra) Ag2R Prevoyance 5 62 Robert Bartko (Ger) Team Telekom 4 63 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 4 64 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom 4 65 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis 4 66 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 3 67 Steven Kleynen (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 2 68 Joao Silva (Por) Milaneza-MSS 2 69 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance 2 70 Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Team Telekom 2 71 Andris Reiss (Lat) Index Alexia 2 72 J.Antonio Pecharroman (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 1 73 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 1 74 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1 75 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 76 Rubén Lobato Elvira (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 1 Mountains classification 1 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 99 pts 2 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 90 3 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 78 4 Aitor Osa (Spa) iBanesto.com 78 5 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 76 6 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 67 7 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 62 8 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 51 9 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 49 10 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 49 11 Mederic Clain (Fra) Cofidis 42 12 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 41 13 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 39 14 Oscar Laguna (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 37 15 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 35 16 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis 30 17 Rui Miguel Sousa (Por) Milaneza-MSS 30 18 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 30 19 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 28 20 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 26 21 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 22 22 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 20 23 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 20 24 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast 18 25 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 17 26 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 16 27 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 14 28 Klaus Möller (Den) Milaneza-MSS 13 29 Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 10 30 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 10 31 Joan Horrach (Spa) Milaneza-MSS 10 32 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 10 33 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast 9 34 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 7 35 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 7 36 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 7 37 Pablo Lastras (Spa) iBanesto.com 6 38 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio 6 39 Alessandro Guerra (Ita) Index Alexia 6 40 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 5 41 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre-Daikin 4 42 Rui Lavarinhas (Por) Milaneza-MSS 4 43 Aitor Kintana (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 4 44 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 4 45 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 4 46 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 3 47 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Lampre-Daikin 3 48 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 3 49 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom 3 50 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) iBanesto.com 3 51 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis 3 52 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis 2 53 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski 2 54 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 2 55 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2 56 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 2 57 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast 1 58 José Garrido (Spa) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 1 59 David Cańada (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 1 60 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1 61 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco-Longoni Sport 1 62 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 63 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites 1 64 Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 1 65 J.Manuel Vazquez (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 1 66 Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1 Regularity classification 1 Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 6 pts 2 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 18 3 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 18 4 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 22 5 Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 25 6 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 27 7 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 30 8 Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 40 9 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 49 10 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 51 11 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 52 12 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis 55 13 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast 56 14 Santiago Blanco (Spa) iBanesto.com 59 15 Pablo Lastras (Spa) iBanesto.com 62 16 J.Antonio Flecha (Spa) iBanesto.com 62 17 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio 65 18 Klaus Möller (Den) Milaneza-MSS 68 19 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 70 20 David Plaza (Spa) Team Coast 73 21 Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 75 22 Rui Miguel Sousa (Por) Milaneza-MSS 78 23 Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 85 24 José Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 85 25 Oscar Laguna (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 89 26 Aitor Osa (Spa) iBanesto.com 91 27 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 99 28 Dave Bruylandts (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 114 29 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast 115 30 Antonio Tauler (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 115 31 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio 120 32 Mederic Clain (Fra) Cofidis 124 33 Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 128 34 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 130 35 Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 130 36 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 134 37 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 138 38 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Fuenlabrada 160 39 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 162 40 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 164 41 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 170 42 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 173 43 Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 180 44 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 186 45 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 192 46 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) iBanesto.com 193 47 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites 201 48 Rolf Aldag (Ger) Team Telekom 201 49 Alessandro Guerra (Ita) Index Alexia 209 50 Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 218 51 Robert Sassone (Fra) Cofidis 236 Teams classification 1 Kelme-Costa Blanca 200.49.30 2 Team Coast 0.56 3 Milaneza-MSS 26.22 4 ONCE-Eroski 29.36 5 Euskaltel-Euskadi 52.12 6 Cofidis 1.04.59 7 Saeco-Longoni Sport 1.12.24 8 iBanesto.com 1.15.45 9 Fassa Bortolo 1.16.31 10 Jazztel-Costa De Almeria 1.42.16 11 US Postal Service 1.58.38 12 Lampre-Daikin 2.29.46 13 Phonak Hearing Systems 2.51.18 14 Relax-Fuenlabrada 3.12.30 15 Bigmat.Auber 93 3.38.12 16 Team Telekom 3.39.53 17 Domo-Farm Frites 3.43.23 18 Tacconi Sport-Emmegi 3.57.26 19 Ag2R Prevoyance 4.42.25 20 Mapei-Quick Step 4.46.53 21 Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 4.49.06
