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84th Volta a Catalunya - 2.HC
Spain, June 14-20, 2004
2002 Results Preview Stages and results Start list Past winners
A tough week in store in the 84th Volta
By Martin Hardie
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The 84th Volta a Catalunya/Tour of Catalonia starts on Monday, June 14 with what seems to be becoming a traditional team time trial over 18 kilometres. The TTT acts as a prelude and G.C. sorter for the week's mountainous encounter.
The Volta has been for many years one of the final encounters in which Tour de France aspirants come out and test their wares before the big one. The list of past winners is testament to its stature in this regard including as it does Heras, Beloki, Zülle, Indurain, Kelly, Moser, Lejarreta and Merckx. This year the Volta returns with its testing parcours but with many big names taking the week off or seeking to ride themselves into form in the alternative meeting of the week, the Tour de Suisse. As such, other than being a venue for some Tour domestiques or stage specialists to find their legs it should provide an opportunity to see some of the up and coming riders of the peloton.
On paper in this year's edition, the decisive stages seem to be Stages 3 and 4. Stage 3 finishes in the tiny Pyrenean state of Andorra climbing two first category climbs, the Coll de Montaup and the mountain top finish at the ski station resort of Pal. The next day's stage 4 is a time trial which climbs around 700 meters in altitude over its 12 kilometre course. It was in last year's equivalent stage that José Antonio Pecharroman, then of Paternina-Costa del Almeria, stormed to the lead and eventual victory. In doing so Pecharroman outflanked the attempt of Roberto Heras to win the Volta in consecutive years.
Neither rider has come back this year for a rematch. Another rider who isn't here this year and has become known more for his mouth than his legs since is Jesus Manzano. 2003 saw the then Kelme rider solo to victory in stage 4. However, Kelme do return for this edition and having paid the outstanding salaries, they will be led by Alejandro Valverde. Amongst the riders to watch - Valverde (the Spanish Jalabert?), anyone from Paternina, Saunier's Leonardo Piepoli, a steadily improving Aitor Gonzalez, Baque's Peio Arreitunandia, Alberto Martinez of Relax, a man with a point to prove wearing orange by the name of Laiseka, and after his Giro performance supporting Gonchar, De Nardi's Brit Charly Wegelius.
The rest of the week is sure to sap the legs of many. Stage 2 climbs up towards the Pyrenees and plateaus out for a rolling finish. Stage 5 includes a first and second category climb before descending towards a flattish finish. The penultimate and ultimate stages combine a succession of third category climbs that offer no respite on the flats.
Unlike the Dauphine or the Tour de Suisse, we may not see a prospective Tour winner on display, but we will see a tough, testing week that touches the high mountains of the Pyrenees and terminates in the splendour of down town Barcelona.
Past winners
Year Winner AVS (km/h) 2003 Jose A. Pecharroman (Spa) 2002 Roberto Heras (Spa) 2001 Joseba Beloki (Spa) 37.843 2000 José Maria Jimenez (Spa) 39.957 1999 Manuel Beltran (Spa) 38.339 1998 Hernan Buenahora (Col) 37.231 1997 Fernando Escartin (Spa) 37.153 1996 Alex Zulle (Swi) 39.402 1995 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) 38.807 1994 Claudio Chiapucci (Ita) 38.557 1993 Alvaro Mejia (Col) 37.808 1992 Miguel Indurain (Spa) 38.531 1991 Miguel Indurain (Spa) 41.062 1990 Laudelino Cubino (Spa) 40.051 1989 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) 39.394 1988 Miguel Indurain (Spa) 39.157 1987 Alvaro Pino (Spa) 40.056 1986 Sean Kelly (Ire) 38.184 1985 Robert Millar (Sco) 37.930 1984 Sean Kelly (Ire) 40.453 1983 Jose Recio (Spa) 38.040 1982 Alberto Fernandez (Spa) 37.167 1981 Faustino Ruperez (Spa) 36.257 1980 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) 35.355 1979 Vicente Belda (Spa) 34.939 1978 Francesco Moser (Ita) 36.144 1977 Freddy Maertens (Bel) 35.539 1976 Martínez Heredia (Spa) 36.401 1975 Fausto Bertoglio (Ita) 35.305 1974 Bernard Thevenet (Fra) 34.969 1973 Domingo Perurena (Spa) 35.573 1972 Felice Gimondi (Ita) 35.376 1971 Luis Ocaña (Spa) 36.089 1970 Franco Bitossi (Ita) 36.171 1969 Mariano Diaz (Spa) 38.148 1968 Eddy Merckx (Bel) 37.385 1967 Jacques Anquetil (Fra) 37.674 1966 Ariel den Hartog (Ned) 36.775 1965 Antonio G. Moral (Spa) 38.237 1964 Joseph Carrara (Fra) 35.373 1963 Joseph Novales (Spa) 36.623 1962 Antonio Karmany (Spa) 36.210 1961 Henry Duez (Fra) 37.082 1960 Miguel Poblet (Spa) 37.306 1959 Salvador Botella (Spa) 36.024 1958 R.Van Genechtien (Bel) 37.410 1957 Jesus Loroño (Spa) 38.046 1956 Aniceto Utset (Spa) 36.395 1955 José Gomez Moral (Spa) 36.506 1954 Walter Serena (Ita) 36.708 1953 Salvador Botella (Spa) 33.712 1952 Miguel Poblet (Spa) 33.979 1951 Primo Volpi (Ita) 33.810 1950 Antonio Gelabert (Spa) 33.527 1949 Emxile Rol (Fra) 33.618 1948 Emilio Rodriguez (Spa) 31.182 1947 Emilio Rodriguez (Spa) 30.129 1946 Julian Berrendero (Spa) 31.146 1945 Bernardo Ruiz (Spa) 30.624 1944 Miguel Casas (Spa) 30.221 1943 Julian Berrendero (Spa) 31.146 1942 Federico Ezquerra (Spa) 30.836 1941 A.Andrés Sancho (Spa) 33.803 1940 Cristóbal Didier (Spa) 30.480 1939 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 30.480 1936 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 29.955 1935 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 29.945 1934 Bernardo Rogora (Ita) 28.953 1933 Alfred Bobet (Ita) 25.977 1932 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 31.552 1931 Salvador Cardona (Spa) 25.488 1930 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 26.930 1929 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 30.403 1928 Mariano Cañardo (Spa) 27.830 1927 Víctor Fontan (Fra) 22.198 1926 Víctor Fontan (Fra) 25.023 1925 Miguel Mucio (Spa) 25.002 1924 Miguel Mucio (Spa) 26.377 1923 Maurice Ville (Fra) 24.135 1920 Joseph Pelletier (Fra) 20.902 1913 Juan Marti (Spa) 21.964 1912 Jose Magdalena (Spa) 23.056 1911 Sebastian Masdeu (Spa) 23.408
