22nd Vuelta Ciclista de Chile, Cat 2.5

Chile, March 11-21, 1999

1998 Results    

The Stages

  • Prologue - March 11, Avenue Merino Benítez, Santiago, 4.0 kms:
  • Stage 1 - March 12, Santiago (Cervecera Santiago) - El Tabo, 137.4 kms:
  • Stage 2 - March 13, El Tabo - San Fernando, 164.3 kms:
  • Stage 3 - March 14, Curicó - Constitución, 173.3 kms:
  • Stage 4 - March 15, Cauquenes - San Pedro de la Paz, 149.4 kms:
  • Stage 5 - March 16, Concepción - Los Angeles, 139.9 kms:
  • Stage 6 - March 17, Los Angeles - Chillán, 135.,0 kms:
  • Stage 7 - March 18, Chillán - Talca, 158.4 kms:
  • Stage 8a - March 19, Talca - Curicó, 97.5 kms:
  • Stage 8b - March 19, Cruce Curicó - El Plumero, 20.0 kms:
  • Stage 9 - March 20, Curicó - Isla de Maipo, 200 kms:
  • Stage 10 - March 21, Santiago Circuit, 80 kms:

Preview

Our South American reporter Rodrigo Gini (from Brazil) writes that after the Rutas de America and the troubled Vuelta a La Argentina, the next major race in South America is the 22nd National Tour of Chile. This race is a traditional event unlike the fledgling Tour of Argentina which seemed to be poorly conceived. But the Tour of Chile is not without its own problems. Fighting against budget limitations, the organisers were unable to invite professional squads like Festina, Kelme-Costa Blanca and Agro Adler Brandenburg. These teams participated last year and the winner was Frenchman Laurent Lefevre.

For the 1999 edition there are 8 Chilean squads including Bliss Sport and Ekono-Zuko, and, 6 foreign teams Cuba National squad (the same team as raced in Argentina), the Argentinian national squad, Brazil's Caloi/Parana, Peru's Grupo Inca, Switzerland's amateur Willet/Bianchi, and the French team Aix-en-Provence. There were 84 cyclists at the start on March 11 and they faced 1,463 kilometers before the end in Santiago on March 21.

Amongst the favourites are Brazilian Marcio May, bronze medal winner in the last Pan-American TT Championships, Chilean Jose Medina, who is racing in Aix-en-Provence team, Frenchman Oliver Trastour, from the same squad, and Cuba's Pedro Perez. Brazil has also a cyclist in an international squad, with a curious story. Last year, Willet/Bianchi came to the state of Parana to race "Parana Integration Tour". They liked the skills of the Brazilian Fabio Veloso and invited him to race with them in Switzerland. It paid off and he now races for them on the European amateur circuit.

Prologue, Avenue Merino Benítez, Santiago, 4.0 kms:

 1. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			4.47 
 2. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.02
 3. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.07
 4. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence		0.10
 5. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.11
 ...
 7. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-En-Provence
 8. Juan Fierro (Chi) Ekono-Zuko
 9. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.11

Stage 1, Santiago (Cervecera Santiago) - El Tabo, 137.4 kms:

 1. Fabio Veloso (Swi) Willet-Bianchi		     3.13.43
 2. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.04
 3. Angel Perez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.06
 4. Joel Mariño (Cub) Cuba National			0.10
 5. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.10
 6. Victor Garrido (Chi) 				0.10
 7. Arturo Corbalán (Chi) 				0.10
 8. Jorge Reinoso (Per) Grupo Inca			0.10
 9. Alberto Riquelme (Chi) 				0.10
10. Marcelo Sandoval (Chi) 				0.10

GC after Stage 1 

 1. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana		     3.18.30
 2. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.02
 3. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.07
 4. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.07
 5. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence		0.10
 6. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.11
 7. Valdir Lermen (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.12
 8. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-en-Provence			0.13
 9. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National			0.15
10. Juan Fierro (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.17

Stage 2, El Tabo - San Fernando, 164.3 kms:

Rodrigo Gini reports that Stage 2 (Between El Tabo and San Fernando) was troubled by the wind and rain. The first attack was made by Pablo González (Ekono-Zuko), who went clear at the 50 kms mark establishing a 2.00 advantage. As the rain stopped in San Vicente de Tagua, he was caught. By this time, all teams were working for their sprinters, but French Olivier Trastour decided to go away, and got the stage (and the leader jersey) with a 45 seconds advantage. 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence

GC after Stage 2 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence
 2. Angel Perez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.45
 3. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.45
 4. Dario Ramirez (Chi)					0.45
 5. Victor Garrido (Chi) Concepcion			0.45

Stage 3, Curicó - Constitución, 173.3 kms:

Stage 3, between Curicó and Constitucion should have been decided in a sprint but, once more, an attack paid off. Cuban Luis Romero went clear with Jaime Bretti (Ekono-Zuko) in the last part of the stage. By the last descent, he broke away from the Chilean and rode strongly until the end, keeping a 24sec advantage. With the result, he moved from the ninth to the second spot in the race, 26secs behind Olivier Trastour. Romero, who was born in Matanzas, is just on his second stage race (first was Vuelta a Argentina), and his main goal are the Panamerican Games in Winnipeg. 

 1. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National
 2. Jaime Bretti (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.24

GC after Stage 3 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence	    11.24.45
 2. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National			0.26
 3. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.45
 4. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
 5. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.46
 6. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.49
 7. Angel Perez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.52
 8. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.52
 9. Valdir Lermen (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.57
10. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-en-Provence			0.58

Stage 4, Cauquenes - San Pedro de la Paz, 149.4 kms:

 1. Victor Garrido (Chi) Concepcion		     3.49.31
 2. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.04
 3. Richard Rodríguez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.06
 4. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.10
 5. Fabio Veloso (Bra) Willet-Bianchi			0.10
 6. Francisco Cabrera (Chi) San Fernando		0.10
 7. Gonzalo Garrido (Chi) Concepcion			0.10
 8. Sebastián Muñoz (Chi) San Fernando			0.10
 9. César Doussang (Chi) Curicó				0.10
10. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.10

GC after Stage 4 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence	    15.14.26
 2. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National			0.26
 3. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.42
 4. Richard Rodríguez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.44
 5. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
 6. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.46
 7. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.46
 8. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.52
 9. Victor Garrido (Chi) Concepcion			0.53
10. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-en-Provence			0.58

Teams:

 1. Aix de Provence 				    45.30.27
 2. Cuba 						0.21
 3. Ekono-Zuko 						0.45
 4. Bliss Curicó 					0.45
 5. Concepción 						0.45

Metas Volantes

 1. Daniel Rogelín           				16 points
 2. Luis Romero	 					10
 3. Víctor Garrido					10

Mountains:

 1. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			17 points
 2. Gonzalo Garrido (Chi) Concepcion			11
 3. Luis Sepúlveda (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			 9

Stage 5, Concepción - Los Angeles, 139.9 kms:

 1. Angel Perez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko		     3.37.03
 2. Victor Garrido (Chi) Concepcion			0.04
 3. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.06
 4. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport			0.10
 5. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National			0.10
 6. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Curicó			0.10
 7. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-en-Provence			0.10
 8. Francisco Cabrera (Chi) San Fernando		0.10
 9. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence		0.10
10. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.10

GC after Stage 5 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence	    18.43.39
 2. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National			0.26
 3. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.36
 4. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Bliss Sport			0.40
 5. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport			0.42
 6. Victor Garrido (Chi) Concepcion		    	0.44
 7. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
 8. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.46
 9. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.48
10. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-en-Provence		    	0.53

Teams:

 1. Aix-en-Provence				    55.53.06
 2. Cuba						0.21
 3. Ekono-Zuko			     			0.45

Intermediate Sprints (metas volantes):

 1. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			17 points
 2. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Bliss Sport			15 
 3. Victor Garrido (Chi) Concepcion

Mountains:

 1. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			19
 2. Gonzalo Garrido (Chi)				16
 3. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport			13

Stage 6, Los Angeles - Chillán, 135.3 kms:

 1. Víctor Garrido (Chi) Concepción		     3.08.50
 2. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.04
 3. Pedro Pérez (Cub) Cuba National			0.06
 4. Joél Mariño (Cub) Cuba National			0.10
 5. Fabio Veloso (Swi) Willet-Bianchi
 6. Alberto Riquelme (Chi) Isla de Maipo
 7. Franck Tognini (Fra) Aix-en-Provence
 8. Alfredo Reinoso (Per) Grupo Inca			
 9. Manuel Mendoza (Cub) Cuba National
10. Darío Ramírez (Chi) San Fernando			s.t.

GC after Stage 6 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence	    21.52.39
 2. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National			0.26
 3. Víctor Garrido (Chi) Concepción			0.29
 4. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.29
 5. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Bliss Sport			0.37
 6. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport			0.42
 7. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National			0.44
 8. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.44
 9. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
10. Jose Medina (Chi) Aix-en-Provence		    	0.57

Teams:

 1. Aix-en-Provence				    65.25.06
 2. Cuba						0.21
 3. Ekono-Zuko			     			0.45

Hot Spot Sprints:

 1. Víctor Garrido (Chi) Concepción			23 points
 2. Richard Rodriguez (Chi) Bliss Sport			21
 3. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			20

Mountain:

 1. Daniel Rogelin (Bra) Caloi-Parana			19 points
 2. Gonzalo Garrido (Chi)				16
 3. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport			13

Stage 7, Chillán - Talca, 158.4 kms:

 1. Alberto Riquelme (Chi) Isla de Maipo	     3.38.36 (44.842 km/h)
 2. Franck Tognini (Fra) Aix-en-Provence		0.04
 3. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.04
 4. Joél Mariño (Cub) Cuba National
 5. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba Nationa
 6. Darío Ramírez (Chi) San Fernando
 7. Alvaro Muñoz (Chi) San Fernando
 8. Alfredo Reinoso (Per) Grupo Inca			s.t.

GC after Stage 7 

 1. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix-en-Provence
 2. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko
 3. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuba National

Stage 8a, Talca - Curicó, 97.5 kms:

 1. Joel Mariño (Cub) Cuban National		     1.59.38 
 2. Pedro Pérez (Cub) Cuban National			0.02
 3. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.04

Stage 8b, ITT Cruce Curicó - El Plumero, 20 kms:

 1. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport		       25.10 
 2. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana		       25.51 
 3. Marcos Arriagada (Chi) Bliss-Sport		       25.58

GC after Stage 8b: 

 1. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport		    27.57.00
 2. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
 3. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuban National			1.17
 4. Pedro Pérez (Cub) Cuban National			1.41
 5. Marcos Arriagada (Chi) Bliss-Sport			1.42
 6. Hernández Cuadri (Bra) Caloi-Parana		        1.52
 7. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix en Provence		2.03
 8. Daniel Rogelín (Bra) Caloi-Parana		        2.12
 9. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			2.27
10. Richard Rodríguez (Chi) Bliss-Sport 		2.28

Stage 9, Curicó-Isla de Maipo - 194.7 kms:

 1. Joél Mariño (Cub) Cuban National		     4.21.18
 2. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			0.04
 3. Alberto Riquelme (Chi) Isla de Maipo		0.06
 4. Pedro Pérez (Cub) Cuban National			0.10
 5. Fernando Uribe (Chi) Isla de Maipo			0.10

GC after Stage 9: 

 1. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport		    32.28.18
 2. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
 3. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuban National			1.17

Stage 10, Santiago Circuit, 71.4 kms:


Chilean Luis Sepulveda managed to retain his lead on the last stage, an easy 71.4 kms
circuit in the streets of Santiago. He was the fourth local competitor
to win the race in 22 years, after Fernando Vera (his coach), Peter Tormen
and Roberto Muñoz. After the race, Sepulveda was obviouslly delighted, and
had the support of a lot of people from his hometown, Curico. "I knew that
nobody would steal the leader jersey on the last stage. There was
no way to do it. I just kept my eyes open, my pace and tried not to have
any mechanical failure".


He said that his victory in the Time Trial (in Curico) was the most
beautiful moment. After that stage, he said, he knew that he would win:
"Winning in my town was perfect. I am really happy because I brought the
victory to Chile again, after a domination of foreign squads. I dedicate
the resuts to my team and I hope my win can give a boost to cycling in
the country". His next target are the Panamerican Games, in Winnipeg. 


Brazil´s team, Caloi, made a good Vuelta also. Marcio May was the second
overall and Daniel Rogelin won mountains competition. Now, they will
contest Vuelta a Uruguai, trying to repeat their performance, also in
order to be ready to Winnipeg.



 1. Angel Perez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko		     1.32.34
 2. Pedro Perez (Cub) Cuba National
 3. Franck Tognini (Fra) Aix-en-Provence
 4. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.10
 5. Sebastian Muñoz (Chi) San Fernando			0.10
 6. Manuel Mendoza (Cub) Cuba National			0.10
 7. Jimmy Gonzalez (Chi) Puerto Montt			0.10
 8. Francisco Cabrera (Chi) San Fernando		0.10
 9. Cristián Castro (Per) Grupo Inca			0.10
10. Romuald Favré (SwI)	Willet-Bianchi			0.10




Final GC after Stage 10:



 1. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport		    33.51.12
 2. Marcio May (Bra) Caloi-Parana			0.45
 3. Luis Romero (Cub) Cuban National			1.17
 4. Pedro Pérez (Cub) Cuban National			1.33
 5. Marcos Arriagada (Chi) Bliss-Sport			1.42
 6. Hernández Cuadri (Bra) Caloi-Parana		        1.52
 7. Olivier Trastour (Fra) Aix en Provence		2.03
 8. Angel Pérez (Chi) Ekono-Zuko			2.11
 9. Richard Rodríguez (Chi) Bliss-Sport 		2.23
10. Francisco Cabrera (Chi) San Fernando		2.32

Teams

 1. Aix-en-Provence				   100.03.12
 2. Cuba			         		0.21
 3. Caloi				         	0.45
 4. Ekono-Zuko
 5. San Fernando

Metas Volantes

 1. Víctor Garrido (Chi) Concepción			32 points
 2. Richard Rodríguez (Chi) Bliss-Sport 		27
 3. Daniel Rogelín (Bra) Caloi-Parana		        22

Mountains

 1. Daniel Rogelín (Bra) Caloi-Parana		        19
 2. Gonzalo Garrido (ChI)			16
 3. Luis Sepulveda (Chi) Bliss Sport			13


Thanks to Rodrigo Gini and Stéphane David for some of the results