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55th Vuelta a España - Grand TourSpain, August 26 - September 17, 2000 |
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1999 Results Teams and riders Past Winners
Preview
Shorter but more climbing
The 55th edition of La Vuelta a Espańa will start earlier than usual this year due to the Olympics in Sydney, on the 26th of August. More important though is that the race will be shorter at 2933 kms, but with more climbing than usual. The highlight, with its 23.6 per cent rise, will once again be the very tough Anglirú on the 12th of September. There are no less than five mountain finishes: Xorret de Cati on stage 5, Super-Molina on 10, Arcalis-Andorra on the 11th, Lagos de Covadonga on the 14th stage, Anglirú on the 16th stage and finally the Alto de Abantos on the 20th stage.
The first stage will be a 13.3 km ITT in Malaga and the last stage will also be an ITT, 36 km around Madrid on the 17th of September. Not content with just two time trials, there will be a 38 km ITT in Tarragona at about the halfway point.
Some comments from the presentation, December 1999:
The legendary Federico Martín Bahamontes puts his hopes not on Olano or even Escartin, but to Roberto Heras. "He is a complete rider, rides well in all sorts of terrain and is also a good time triallist. In the climbs, Jose Maria Jiménez will probably show his strength but he lacks character. I have adviced him but he does not want to accept my advice. I hope he changes with time because he is a great rider and could give many days of glory to Spanish cycling, " said the "Eagle of Toledo".
Abraham Olano said at the presentation last year that the organizers of the Vuelta of the 2000 have looked for the " television spectacle " when shortening the distance of the stages. "Shorter stages normally gives more aggressive riding which some riders might be paying for dearly," Olano comments. He was sorry that the profiles of all the ITT's - in Malaga, Barcelona and Madrid, have "nails" that will reduce the difference between the specialists against the clock and the climbers. He is also uncertain about the rest days: " I don't know if they will be of much use. The short stages increase the "voltage" in the peloton which causes more fatigue than days with many kilometers."
World Champion, Oscar Freire, was happy with the route because it runs through his native country of Cantabria. He will not be aiming for an overall win, but will focus on winning a stage as part of his preparation for the Sydney Olympics.
"I like the fact that they have reduced the kilometres, there is a stage in Cantabria, and because the rest days fall near there. I will try to obtain a stage win, and this will help my preparation for the Olympic Games and the World Championships," said Freire.
Igor González de Galdeano, who was second in last year's Vuelta, said today that the 55th edition is "innovative, because of the reduction in kilometers, more rest days, and more mountains. I hope that I will be riding it. I have very good memories of Arcalís when I gained my first golden jersey. I hope to be at my peak because La Vuelta is my number one objective," he commented.
González de Galdeano said about the rest days that "the body becomes quickly accustomed to the rest. On those days you relax a lot and when you return to compete you must be very alert so that the body will be at peak level."
In his opinion, the last week will be "spectacular". " Mainly in the ascents like the Xorret of the Catí that was promoted two years ago and, although shorter, it is as hard as the Angliru," he added.
Banesto team director, Eusebio Unzúe, told reporters that La Vuelta 2000 looks to be "exciting", "spectacular", "interesting", indicating that if the winner is decided in the Madrid time trial, the organizers would have prevailed.
However, Unzúe was "afraid that very selective points exist, so that the time trials are not decisive. The great new development is the two rest days. The excessive relaxation can be dangerous on the eve of the two stages in Asturias, although it is still a positive step because it will serve for the recovery of the riders before they face the efforts of the decisive stages," he added.
For him, the layout is suitable for two of his leaders, Jose Maria Jiménez and the Swiss Alex Zulle, who are both aiming to peak for La Vuelta.
Teams and riders
Deutsche Telekom Alessio 1 Jan Ullrich (Ger) 11 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) 2 Rolf Aldag (Ger) 12 Stefano Casagranda (Ita) 3 Danilo Hondo (Ger) 13 Martin Hvastija (Slo) 4 Kai Hundertmark (Ger) 14 Endrio Leoni (Ita) 5 Andreas Klöden (Ger) 15 Marco Magnani (Ita) 6 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) 16 Nicola Miceli (Ita) 7 Ralf Grabsch (Ger) 17 Carlo Finco (Ita) 8 Matthias Kessler (Ger) 18 Leonardo Guidi (Ita) 9 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) 19 Alexandre Sheffer (Kaz) Banesto Cantina Tollo 21 Alex Zülle (Swi) 31 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) 22 José Maira Jimenez (Spa) 32 Paolo Bossoni (Ita) 23 Tomas Brozyna (Pol) 33 Gabriele Colombo (Ita) 24 José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) 34 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) 25 José Luis Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) 35 Federico Giabbecucci (Ita) 26 Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) 36 Rodolfo Massi (Ita) 27 Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) 37 Federico Colonna (Ita) 28 Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) 38 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) 29 Eladio Jimenez Sanchez (Spa) 39 Guido Trenti (USA) Euskaltel-Euskadi Farm Frites 41 Txema Del Olmo Zendegi (Spa) 51 Steven Kleynen (Bel) 42 Ińigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) 52 Jans Koerts Ned) 43 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) 53 Glenn Magnusson (Swe) 44 Gorka Gerrikagoitia Arrien (Spa) 54 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) 45 Ramon Gonzalez Arrieta (Spa) 55 Dirk Ronellenfitsch Ger) 46 Roberto Laiseka Jaio (Spa) 56 Miquel van Kessel (Ned) 47 Alberto Lopez de Munain (Spa) 57 Gerben Löwik (Ned) 48 Alberto Martinez Trinidad (Spa) 58 Geert van Bondt (Bel) 49 Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) 59 Remco van der Ven (Ned) Fassa Bortolo Festina Watches 61 Wladimir Belli (Ita) 71 Florent Brard (Fra) 62 Fabio Baldato (Ita) 72 Angel Casero Moreno (Spa) 63 Gabriele Balducci (Ita) 73 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) 64 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) 74 David Clinger (Usa) 65 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) 75 Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) 66 Nicola Loda (Ita) 76 Felix Garcia Casas (Spa) 67 Andrea Peron (Ita) 77 Jaime Hernandez Bertran (Spa) 68 Raimundas Rumsas (Ltu) 78 Fabian Jeker (Swi) 69 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) 79 Rolf Huser (Swi) Jazztel-Costa Almeria Jean Delatour 81 Eleuterio Anguita Hinojosa (Spa) 91 Christophe Bassons (Fra) 82 César Perez Padron (Spa) 92 Frédéric Bessy (Fra) 83 Diego Prior Jimenez (Spa) 93 Gilles Bouvard (Fra) 84 Ricardo Valdes Prieto (Spa) 94 Laurent Brochard (Fra) 85 Carlos Golbano Garcia (Spa) 95 Patrice Halgand (Fra) 86 Fabio Roscioli (Ita) 96 Christophe Oriol (Fra) 87 Ginés Salmerón Martinez (Spa) 97 Eddy Seigneur (Fra) 88 Pablo Soler Siles (Spa) 98 Cyril Dessel (Fra) 89 Mario Traversoni (Ita) 99 Bruno Thibout (Fra) Kelme-Costa Blanca Lampre Daikin 101 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) 111 Oscar Camenzind (Swi) 102 Fernando Escartín (Spa) 112 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) 103 Santiago Botero (Col) 113 Massimo Codol (Ita) 104 Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) 114 Marco Della Vedova (Ita) 105 Felix Cardenas Ravalo (Col) 115 Matteo Frutti (Ita) 106 José Enrique Gutiérrez (Spa) 116 Juan Garate Cepa (Spa) 107 José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) 117 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) 108 Óscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) 118 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) 109 José Ángel Vidal Martinez (Spa) 119 Jan Svorada (Cze) LA-Pecol Liquigas-Pata 121 Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) 131 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) 122 Bruno Castanheira (Por) 132 Daniele Contrini (Ita) 123 Sergio De la Torre (Spa) 133 Mirko Marini (Ita) 124 Pedro Lopes Goncalves (Por) 134 Cristian Moreni (Ita) 125 Fernando Mota Dos Santos (Por) 135 Giancarlo Raimondi (Ita) 126 José Rosa Ribeiro (Por) 136 Ellis Rastelli (Ita) 127 Saulius Sarkauskas (Ltu) 137 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) 128 Youri Sourkov (Mda) 138 Andrei Teteriouk (Kaz) 129 Ruben Ispizua Oarbeskoa (Spa) 139 Marco Zanotti (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step ONCE-Deutsche Bank 141 Pavel Tonkov (Rus) 151 Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) 142 Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) 152 Inigo Cuesta Lopez (Spa) 143 Davide Bramati (Ita) 153 Rafael Diaz Justo (Spa) 144 Gianni Faresin (Ita) 154 David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) 145 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) 155 Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) 146 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) 156 Santos Gonzalez Capilla (Spa) 147 Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) 157 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) 148 Andrea Tafi (Ita) 158 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) 149 Dario Cioni (Ita) 159 Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga(Spa) Team Polti Relax-Fuenlabrada 161 Richard Virenque (Fra) 171 Andreas Bermejo Siller (Spa) 162 Michele Colleoni (Ita) 172 Nacor Burgos Rojo (Spa) 163 Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) 173 Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) 164 Mirco Crepaldi (Ita) 174 César Garcia Calvo (Spa) 165 Ivan Gotti (Ita) 175 Eduardo Hernandez Bailo (Spa) 166 Pascal Hervé (Fra) 176 Pedro Diaz Lobato (Spa) 167 Oscar Pellicioli (Ita) 177 Martin Garrido Mayorca (Arg) 168 Rafael Mateos Perez (Spa) 178 German Nieto Fernandez (Spa) 169 Jose Uría Gonzalez (Spa) 179 José Vazquez Palomo (Spa) Saeco-Valli & Valli Vitalicio Seguros 181 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) 191 Igor González de Galdeano (Spa) 182 Jörg Ludewig (Ger) 192 Santiago Blanco Gil (Spa) 183 Giuseppe Calcaterra (Ita) 193 Francisco Cerezo Perales (Spa) 184 Mario Cipollini (Ita) 194 Francisco Garcia Rodriguez (Spa) 185 Biagio Conte (Ita) 195 Alvaro González de Galdeano (Spa) 186 Alessio Galletti (Ita) 196 Jan Hruska (Cze) 187 Armin Meier (Swi) 197 Ivan Parra Pinto (Col) 188 Igor Pugaci (Mda) 198 Victor Hugo Peńa (Col) 189 Francesco Secchiari (Ita) 199 Juan Vicario Barbera (Spa)
Past Winners
1935 G. Deloor (Bel) M. Canardo (Spa) A. Dignef (Bel) 1936 G. Deloor (Bel) A. Deloor (Bel) A. Bertola (Spa) 1941 J. Berrendero (Spa) F. Trueba (Sp) J. Jabardo (Spa) 1942 J. Berrendero (Spa) D. Chafer (Spa) A. Sancho (Spa) 1945 D. Rodriguez (Spa) J. Berrendero (Spa) J. Gimeno (Spa) 1946 D. Langarica (Spa) J. Berrendero (Spa) J. Lambrichs (Ned) 1947 W. Van Dijck (Bel) M. Costa (Spa) D. Rodriguez (Spa) 1948 B. Ruiz (Spa) E. Rodriguez (Spa) B. Capo (Spa) 1950 E. Rodriguez (Spa) M. Rodriguez (Spa) J. Serra (Spa) 1955 J. Dotto (Fra) J. Quillez (Spa) R. Geminiani (Fra) 1956 A. Conterno (Ita) J. Lorono (Spa) R. Impanis (Bel) 1957 J. Lorono (Spa) F. Bahamontes (Spa) B. Ruiz (Spa) 1958 J. Stablinski (Fra) P. Fornara (Spa) F. Manzaneque (Spa) 1959 A. Suarez (Spa) J. Segu (Spa) R. Van Looy (Bel) 1960 F. De Mulder (Bel) A. Desmet (Bel) M. Pacheco (Spa) 1961 A. Soler (Spa) F. Mahé (Fra) J. Perez-Frances (Spa) 1962 R. Altig (Ger) J. Perez-Frances (Spa) S. Elliott (Ire) 1963 J. Anquetil (Fra) M. Colmenarejo (Spa) M. Pacheco (Spa) 1964 R. Poulidor (Fra) L. Otana (Spa) J. Perez-Frances (Spa) 1965 R. Wolfshohl (Ger) R. Poulidor (Fra) R. Van Looy (Bel) 1966 F. Gabica (Spa) E. Velez (Spa) C. Echeverria (Spa) 1967 J. Janssen (Ned) J. Ducasse (Fra) A. Gonzalez (Spa) 1968 F. Gimondi (Ita) J. Perez-Frances (Spa) E. Velez (Spa) 1969 R. Pingeon (Fra) L. Ocana (Spa) W. Wagtmans (Ned) 1970 L. Ocana (Spa) A. Tamames (Spa) H. Vanspringel (Bel) 1971 F. Bracke (Bel) W. David (Bel) L. Ocana (Spa) 1972 J. Fuente (Spa) M. Lasa (Spa) A. Tamames (Spa) 1973 E. Merckx (Bel) L. Ocana (Spa) B Thévenet (Fra) 1974 J. Fuente (Spa) J. Agostinho (Por) M. Lasa (Spa) 1975 A. Tamames (Spa) D. Perurena (Spa) M. Lasa (Spa) 1976 J. Pesarrodona (Spa) L. Ocana (Spa) J. Nazabal (Spa) 1977 F. Maertens (Bel) M. Lasa (Spa) K. Thaler (Ger) 1978 B. Hinault (Fra) J. Pesarrodona (Spa) J. Bernaudeau (Fra) 1979 J. Zoetemelk (Ned) F. Galdos (Spa) M. Pollentier (Bel) 1980 F. Ruperez (Spa) P. Torres (Spa) C. Criquielion (Bel) 1981 G. Battaglin (Ita) P. Munoz (Spa) V. Belda (Spa) 1982 M. Lejaretta (Spa) M. Pollentier (Bel) S. Nilsson (Swe) 1983 B. Hinault (Fra) M. Lejarreta (Spa) A. Fernandez (Spa) 1984 E. Caritoux (Fra) A. Fernandez (Spa) R. Dietzen (Ger) 1985 P. Delgado (Spa) R. Millar (GB) F. Rodriguez (Col) 1986 A. Pino (Spa) R. Millar (GB) S. Kelly (Ire) 1987 L. Herrera (Col) R. Dietzen (Ger) L. Fignon (Fra) 1988 S. Kelly (Ire) R. Dietzen (Ger) A. Fuerte (Spa) 1989 P. Delgado (Spa) F. Parra (Col) O. Vargas (Col) 1990 M. Giovannetti (Ita) P. Delgado (Spa) A. Fuerte (Spa) 1991 Melchior Mauri (Spa) Miguel Indurain (Spa) Marino Lejaretta (Spa) 1992 Tony Rominger (Swi) Jesus Montoya (Spa) Pedro Delgado (Spa) 1993 Tony Rominger (Swi) Alex Zülle (Swi) Ludino Cubino (Spa) 1994 Tony Rominger (Swi) Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Pedro Delgado (Spa) 1995 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) Abraham Olano (Spa) Johan Bruyneel (Bel) 1996 Alex Zülle (Swi) Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Tony Rominger (Swi) 1997 Alex Zülle (Swi) Fernando Escartin (Spa) Laurent Dufaux (Swi) 1988 Abraham Olano (Spa) Fernando Escartin (Spa) José Maria Jiminez (Spa) 1999 Jan Ullrich (Ger) Igor Glez. Galdeano (Spa) Roberto Heras (Spa)