Vuelta a Espana, Grand Tour

Spain, September 5-27, 1998


Main Page     Marcel Wust writes

Stage Report

Italian Fabrizio Guidi (Polti) won the stage into Salamanca, his third win in this year's Vuelta. Since the start in Cordoba, 5 riders have won 13 of the 18 stages contested. This fact has consequences for the prize split. Some 103 million pesetas will be given out after the last stage on Sunday in Madrid. Compared to the yellow jersey, currently Abraham Olano (Banesto), these 5 riders will leave with significant earnings.

The best paid will be Spaniard José Maria Jimenez, third overall, and winner of 4 stages. Then Fabrizio Guidi, 3 stage wins, German Marcel Wust (Festina), Russian Andrei Zintchenko (Vitalicio) and Dutchman Jeroen Blijlevens (TVM) each with 2 stage wins. The record for stage wins in a single Vuelta is held by the Belgian Freddy Maertens, who won a staggering 13 stages in 1997.

Today's stage on the plateu of the Vieille Castille, between Léon and Salamanque (230 kms) was marked by heavy win. The peloton did not make quick progress. They took it easy. On one occassion, however, the recreation was suspended. The first attack came at the 136 kms mark. Mariano Piccoli (Brescialat), Matias Cagigas (Estepona) and Anthony Rokia (Polti), were quickly joined by 6 others and this provoked the first serious split in the field. They created a 30 second gap rather quickly. The peloton however responded. The main casualties of this move were Marcel Wust who was seeking a third stage win himself and the Spanish rider Manuel Beltran (Banesto), who was 8th on GC at 2.52. They finally finished the stage 9.49 down on Guidi.

Marcel was lost in the wind and not in the top group which had the sprinters from the other teams prominent. He also finished in Beltran's group at 9.49. The teams to benefit from the attack were Vitalicio (Smetanine), Kelme (Edo) and Polti (Guidi).

There were other attempts to get away. Ukrainian Serguei Outschakov (TVM) and Belgian Ludo Dierckxens (Lotto) tried to kill off the sprinters. Their solitary efforts came to nothing. Like in Granada (Stage 4) and at Palma de Mallorca (Stage 8), Fabrizio Guidi was dominant at the end. He won in front off Peter Van Petegem (TVM) and Marcus Zberg (Post Swiss).

Stage 18, Leon - Salamanca, 223 kms:

  1. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Polti                                     5.59.39 (38.371)
  2. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites
  3. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Post Swiss Team
  4. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  5. Ludo Dierickxsens (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
  6. Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros
  7. Angel Edo Alsina (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
  8. Giancarlo Raimondi (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas
  9. Eleuterio Anguita Hinojosa (Spa) Estepona-Brepac
 10. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi
 11. Niki Aebersold (Swi) Post Swiss Team
 12. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Casino
 13. Guido Trenti (Ita) Cantina Tollo
 14. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) Casino
 15. Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
 16. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco
 17. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina-Lotus
 18. Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
 19. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Mapei-Bricobi
 20. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
 21. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi
 22. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal
 23. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 24. Kai Hundertmark (Ger) Telekom
 25. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 26. Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) Banesto
 27. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 28. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas
 29. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas
 30. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Cofidis
 31. Angel Castresana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
 32. José Maria Jiminez Sastre (Spa) Banesto
 33. Alex Zülle (Fra) Festina-Lotus
 34. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 35. Mirko Gualdi (Ita) Polti
 36. Serguei Gontchar (Rus) Cantina Tollo
 37. Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto
 38. Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank
 39. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar
 40. Juan Carlos Vicario Barbera (Spa) Estepona-Brepac
 41. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team
 42. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank
 43. Sven Teutenberg (Ger) US Postal
 44. Herminio Diaz Zabala (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 45. Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Banesto
 46. Arsenio Gonzalez Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 47. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank
 48. José Ramon Uriarte Zubero (Spa) Festina-Lotus
 49. Harald Morscher (Aut) Saeco
 50. Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi
 51. Pascal Hervé (Spa) Festina-Lotus
 52. Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Festina-Lotus
 53. Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas
 54. Melcihor Mauri Prat (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 55. Rolf Huser (Swi) Post Swiss Team
 56. Cristian Salvato (Ita) Polti
 57. Michel Lafis (Swe) TVM-Farm Frites
 58. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei-Bricobi
 59. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 60. Vincent Cali (Fra) Casino
 61. José Joaquim Castelblanco (Col) Avianca-Telecom
 62. David Plaza Romero (Spa) Cofidis
 63. Iñigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
 64. Michael Claus Moller (Den) TVM-Farm Frites
 65. Federico Muñoz Fernandez (Col) Avianca-Telecom
 66. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 67. Javier Pascual Llorente (Col) Avianca-Telecom
 68. José Rodriguez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 69. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros
 70. David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 71. Alberto Leanizbarrutia (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 72. Inaki Aiarzaguena Urkidi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
 73. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Cantina Tollo
 74. Micheal Rich (Ger) Saeco
 75. Santiago Blanco (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
 76. Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Casino
 77. Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) TVM-Farm Frites
 78. Philipp Buschor (Swi) Saeco
 79. Luis Maria Diaz De Otazu (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 80. Manuel Fernandez Gines (Spa) Banesto
 81. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina-Lotus
 82. Georg Totsching (Aut) Telekom
 83. Ruslan Ivanov (Rus) Brescialat-Liquigas
 84. Peter Meinert-Nielsen (Den) US Postal
 85. Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal
 86. José Jaime Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
 87. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites
 88. Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Telekom
 89. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank
 90. Jonathan Vaughters (USA) US Postal
 91. José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Banesto
 92. Massimo Giunti (Ita) Cantina Tollo
 93. Gianni Bugno (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi
 94. Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
 95. Uwe Peschel (Ger) Estepona-Brepac                                 1.04
 96. Daniel Paradis (Swi) Post Swiss Team                              1.04
 97. Francisco Cabello (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                        1.28
 98. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                             1.31
 99. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Polti                                         1.31
100. Franz Hotz (Swi) Post Swiss Team                                  1.31
101. Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                     1.31
102. Vitali Kokorin (Rus) Saeco                                        5.25
103. Julio César Aguirre Cabrera (Col) Avianca-Telecom                 6.49
104. Bert Dietz (Ger) Telekom                                          6.49
105. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                                6.49
106. Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                 9.49
107. Marcel Wust (Ger) Festina-Lotus                                   9.49
108. Victor Moratilla Solera (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                     9.49
109. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                        9.49
110. Cristiano Frattini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                      9.49
111. German Nieto Fernandez (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                      9.49
112. Mark Lotz (Ned) Rabobank                                          9.49
113. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Rabobank                                   9.49
114. Matías Cagigas (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                              9.49
115. Martin Rittsel (Swe) Cantina Tollo                                9.49
116. Martin Hvastija (Slo) Cantina Tollo                               9.49
117. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino                                 9.49
118. Richard Chassot (Swi) Post Swiss Team                             9.49
119. Roger Beuchat (Swi) Post Swiss Team                               9.49
120. Joona Laukka (Fin) Lotto-Mobistar                                 9.49
121. Francisco Leon Mane (Col) Avianca-Telecom                         9.49
122. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) Polti                                       9.49
123. Maurizio Frizzo (Ita) Cantina Tollo                               9.49
124. Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) Banesto                             9.49

GC after Stage 18

  1. Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) Banesto                           79.00.16
  2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                         0.22
  3. José Maria Jiminez Sastre (Spa) Banesto                           0.31
  4. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                        0.38
  5. Alex Zülle (Fra) Festina-Lotus                                    2.12
  6. Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                  2.17
  7. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                  2.36
  8. Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                  3.04
  9. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal                                   3.20
 10. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Mapei-Bricobi                               4.10
 11. José Joaquim Castelblanco (Col) Avianca-Telecom                   4.24
 12. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina-Lotus                              4.52
 13. David Plaza Romero (Spa) Cofidis                                  6.01
 14. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                        6.52
 15. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                           6.54
 16. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                  7.09
 17. Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Festina-Lotus                         8.33
 18. Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Banesto                               9.13
 19. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Cantina Tollo                              11.36
 20. Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) Banesto                            12.41
 21. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) Casino                                      14.38
 22. Angel Castresana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                         16.23
 23. Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto                               17.56
 24. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros                        18.16
 25. Santiago Blanco (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                          18.18
 26. Mirko Gualdi (Ita) Polti                                         19.11
 27. Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                20.04
 28. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) Polti                                      20.33
 29. Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                    20.43
 30. Inaki Aiarzaguena Urkidi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                 21.06
 31. Melcihor Mauri Prat (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                     21.35
 32. Pascal Hervé (Spa) Festina-Lotus                                 22.29
 33. Julio César Aguirre Cabrera (Col) Avianca-Telecom                23.14
 34. Ludo Dierickxsens (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                           25.16
 35. Michael Claus Moller (Den) TVM-Farm Frites                       25.43
 36. Arsenio Gonzalez Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca              30.22
 37. Iñigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                 30.25
 38. David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                31.23
 39. Juan Carlos Vicario Barbera (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                31.57
 40. Niki Aebersold (Swi) Post Swiss Team                             33.33
 41. Federico Muñoz Fernandez (Col) Avianca-Telecom                   34.25
 42. José Ramon Uriarte Zubero (Spa) Festina-Lotus                    36.18
 43. Vitali Kokorin (Rus) Saeco                                       37.00
 44. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                                 37.57
 45. Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi                    40.22
 46. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Casino                                     43.33
 47. Javier Pascual Llorente (Col) Avianca-Telecom                    44.03
 48. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina-Lotus                             45.20
 49. José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Banesto                         49.12
 50. Vincent Cali (Fra) Casino                                        51.20
 51. Eleuterio Anguita Hinojosa (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                 52.01
 52. Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros                    52.30
 53. Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Casino                                      52.32
 54. Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                            54.06
 55. Alberto Leanizbarrutia (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                1.00.59
 56. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                             1.07.06
 57. Rolf Huser (Swi) Post Swiss Team                               1.07.35
 58. Philipp Buschor (Swi) Saeco                                    1.08.00
 59. Pierre Bourquenoud (Swi) Post Swiss Team                       1.09.09
 60. Roberto Sierra (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                        1.09.49
 61. Marcus Zberg (Swi) Post Swiss Team                             1.12.25
 62. Martin Hvastija (Slo) Cantina Tollo                            1.12.38
 63. Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank                                 1.13.09
 64. Rolf Sorensen (Den) Rabobank                                   1.14.28
 65. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Polti                                     1.17.45
 66. Manuel Fernandez Gines (Spa) Banesto                           1.18.06
 67. Nico Mattan (Bel) Mapei-Bricobi                                1.18.49
 68. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco                                 1.20.30
 69. Georg Totsching (Aut) Telekom                                  1.20.31
 70. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi                          1.22.24
 71. Franz Hotz (Swi) Post Swiss Team                               1.22.43
 72. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                               1.24.14
 73. Herminio Diaz Zabala (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank                  1.27.15
 74. Cristiano Frattini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                   1.27.32
 75. Steve De Wolf (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                             1.27.45
 76. Angel Edo Alsina (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                      1.31.12
 77. José Rodriguez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                        1.32.56
 78. Maurizio Frizzo (Ita) Cantina Tollo                            1.33.53
 79. Serguei Smetanine (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros                      1.34.59
 80. Massimo Giunti (Ita) Cantina Tollo                             1.35.50
 81. Peter Van Petegem (Bel) TVM-Farm Frites                        1.36.46
 82. Michel Lafis (Swe) TVM-Farm Frites                             1.39.34
 83. Bert Dietz (Ger) Telekom                                       1.40.28
 84. José Jaime Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                   1.40.41
 85. Luis Maria Diaz De Otazu (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank              1.41.54
 86. Kai Hundertmark (Ger) Telekom                                  1.43.00
 87. Francisco Cabello (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                     1.44.57
 88. Serguei Gontchar (Rus) Cantina Tollo                           1.45.12
 89. Marc Wauters (Bel) Rabobank                                    1.45.51
 90. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Cofidis                             1.49.24
 91. Peter Meinert-Nielsen (Den) US Postal                          1.50.46
 92. Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                      1.51.18
 93. Joona Laukka (Fin) Lotto-Mobistar                              1.53.43
 94. Gianni Bugno (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi                               1.55.24
 95. Thierry Marichal (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar                          1.55.28
 96. Cristian Salvato (Ita) Polti                                   1.59.55
 97. Martin Rittsel (Swe) Cantina Tollo                             2.01.27
 98. Micheal Rich (Ger) Saeco                                       2.06.02
 99. Uwe Peschel (Ger) Estepona-Brepac                              2.06.57
100. Sven Teutenberg (Ger) US Postal                                2.06.57
101. Matías Cagigas (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                           2.07.43
102. Ruslan Ivanov (Rus) Brescialat-Liquigas                        2.07.55
103. Daniel Paradis (Swi) Post Swiss Team                           2.08.09
104. Harald Morscher (Aut) Saeco                                    2.09.34
105. Richard Chassot (Swi) Post Swiss Team                          2.09.49
106. Max Van Heeswijk (Ned) Rabobank                                2.10.11
107. Tristan Hoffman (Ned) TVM-Farm Frites                          2.11.33
108. Giancarlo Raimondi (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                   2.13.17
109. Christian Vandevelde (USA) US Postal                           2.13.47
110. Jan Schaffrath (Ger) Telekom                                   2.17.22
111. Francisco Leon Mane (Col) Avianca-Telecom                      2.17.50
112. Serguei Outschakov (Ukr) TVM-Farm Frites                       2.30.31
113. Christophe Agnolutto (Fra) Casino                              2.32.21
114. Victor Moratilla Solera (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                  2.33.14
115. Roger Beuchat (Swi) Post Swiss Team                            2.33.42
116. Davide Bramati (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi                             2.36.35
117. Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank                                 2.36.40
118. Mark Lotz (Ned) Rabobank                                       2.37.26
119. Guido Trenti (Ita) Cantina Tollo                               2.41.59
120. Anthony Rokia (Fra) Polti                                      2.42.04
121. Marcel Wust (Ger) Festina-Lotus                                2.44.10
122. Jonathan Vaughters (USA) US Postal                             2.44.48
123. Daniele Contrini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas                     3.01.20
124. German Nieto Fernandez (Spa) Estepona-Brepac                   3.11.06