18th Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia, Cat 2.3

Spain, March 4-8, 1998

The Stages

  • Stage 1 - Murcia-Jumilla, 144.2 kms.
  • Stage 2 - Murcia-San Pedro, 190 kms.
  • Stage 3 - Murcia-Librilla, 169.1 kms.
  • Stage 4a - Murcia-Morrón de Totana, 61 kms.
  • Stage 4b - Totana-Cehegin, 73 kms.
  • Stage 5 - Murcia-Murcia, ITT 12.9 kms.

Preview

The 18th edition of la Vuelta a la Comunidad Murciana, which begins tomorrow and finishes on Sunday, has been able to gather a good number of important figures from the peloton, even considering the toughness of the route. This list is headed by Spaniards Abraham Olano, Melchor Mauri - winner on two ocassions - and Santiago Blanco, Italians Marco Pantani and Claudio Chiappucci, Ukranian Gontchar and Colombian Oliverio Rincón, amongst others.

An excellent line up when considering that the race is very close to more important races like Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana, París-Nice and Tirreno-Adriático. The route will also be special, presenting opportunities for all in its 5 stages which will cover 650 kms. The first two stages are perfect for sprinters. The third stage goes into the mountains, with the usual ascent of the Alto de Collado Bermejo a category one. This year it comes only 25 kms from the finish. The following day will hold the key - between Murcia and the alto del Morrón de Totana. Only covering 61 kms, the stage has 3 category one climbs in the last 20 kms - Espuña, Collado Bermeno and Alto del Morrón. The finish on Alto del Morrón will be decisive. The last stage will be an ITT ove 13kms over an urban circuit in the Murcian capital.

Climbs

  • Stage 2: Alto de San Pedro (Cat 4)
  • Stage 3: La Cadena (Cat 4), La Cuesta (4), Aledo (3) and Collado Bermejo (1)
  • Stage 4: Espuña (Cat 1), Collado Bermejo (1) and Morrón de Totana (1)
  • Stage 4b: Aledo (Cat 3)

Teams and Leaders

Banesto (Spa) - Abraham Olano. 
ONCE (Spa) - Melchor Mauri. 
Kelme Costa Blanca (Spa) - García Camacho. 
Vitalicio Seguros (Spa) - Santiago Blanco 
Estepona Brepac (Spa) - Uwe Peschel (Ger) 
Euskaltel Euskadi (Spa) - Igor González de Galdeano 
Ros Mary (Swi) -  Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) 
Mercatone Uno (Smr) - Marco Pantani (Ita) 
Mapei (Ita) - Pavel Tonkov (Rus) 
Cantina Tollo (Ita) - Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) 
Ballan (Ita) - Piotr Ugrumov (Lat) 
Lotto (Bel) - Andrei Teterioux (Kaz) 
Palmans (Bel) - Wilfried Nelissen, Scott Sunderland 
Boavista (Por) - Santos Hernández (Spa) 
TVM (Ned) - Jeroen Blijlevens 
Swiss Post (Swi) - Markus Zberg 
Casino (Fra) - Christophe Agnolutto 
Gerolsteiner (Ger) - Andreas Kappes

Past Winners

1985  José Recio (Spa)
1986  Miguel Indurain (Spa)
1987  Pello Ruiz-Cabestany (Spa)
1988  Carlos Hernandez-Bailo (Spa)
1989  Marino Alonso (Spa)
1990  Tom Cordes (Ned)
1991  José-Luis Villanueva (Spa)
1992  Alvaro Meija (Col)
1993  Carlos Galarreta (Spa)
1994  Melchor Mauri (Spa)
1995  Adriano Baffi (Ita)
1996  Melchor Mauri (Spa)
1997  Juan-Carlos Dominguez (Spa)
1998  ?

The Podium since 1993 

1993 

 1. Carlos Galarreta (Spa)
 2. Laudelino Cubino (Spa)
 3. Eddy Bouwmans (Bel)

1994

 1. Melchor Mauri (Spa)
 2. Aitor Garmendia (Spa)
 3. H. Díaz Zabala (Spa)
 
1995

 1. Adriano Baffi (Ita)
 2. Erik Breukink (Ned)
 3. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita)
 
1996

 1. Melchor Mauri (Spa)
 2. Wladimir Belli (Ita)
 3. Rodolfo Massi (Ita)
 
1997
 
 1. Juan Carlos Domínguez (Spa)
 2. Ignacio García Camacho (Spa)
 3. Santos González (Spa)