Vuelta a Andalucia (Ruta del Sol) - Cat. 2.3

Spain, February 13-17, 2000

Stage 4 - February 16: Cordova Jaen, 185 km

Blanco solos to win

Spaniard Santiago Blanco, Vitalicio Seguros, won the fourth stage of the Vuelta da Andalucia/Ruta del Sol, in fine style. He rode in the lead for about 170 kilometers, winning by over 4 minutes to the bunch.

Ten riders attacked at 13 kilometers but were reeled in, as expected, by the peloton but Blanco, who was in the group attacked again, taking French long break specialist Jacky Durand along. They made a thirteen minute gap to the peloton before ONCE started the chase to defend the leader's jersey for Miguel Ángel Peña. Durand had to let the Spaniard go on the last climb, 40 kms from the finish line.

The bunch was led home by Erik Zabel (Ger, Telekom) who is showing some excellent sprinting form at the early part of the season.

Results

  1.  Santiago Blanco (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros            4.30.29
  2.  Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom                4.23
  3.  Fabiano Fontanelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno
  4.  Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
  5.  Nico Eeckhout (Bel) Palmans-Ideal
  6.  Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
  7.  Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
  8.  Henrik Van Dyck (Bel) Palmans
  9.  Ramón Medina (Spa) Vitalicio
  10. Andrei Tchmil (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
  11. Fabian De Waele (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
  12. Elio Aggiano (Ita) Vitalicio Seguros
  13. Jacob Piil (Den) MemoryCard-Jack & Jones
  14. David Etxebarria (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank
  15. Chris Peers (Bel) Cofidis
  16. Alberto Benito (Spa) Banesto
  17. Félix García Casas (Spa) Festina
  18. Peter Farazijn (Bel) Cofidis
  19. Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
  20. Bert Dietz (Ger) Team Nürnberger
  21. Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  22. Steven De Jongh Rabobank
  23. Scott Sunderland (Aus) Palmans-Ideal
  24. José Luis Rebollo (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros
  25. Mario Aerts (Bel) Lotto-Adecco

General Classification:
  1. Miguel A. Peña (Spa) ONCE                          17.45.43
  2. Francisco Cabello (Spa) Kelme                          0.22
  3. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Banesto                          0.26
  4. Peter Farazjn (Bel) Cofidis                            0.27
  5. Jose L. Rebollo (Spa) Vitalicio                        0.33
  6. David Etxebarria (S) ONCE                              0.37
  7. Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) Cofidis
  8. Felix Garcia (Spa) Festina                             0.48
  9. Juan M. Mercado (Spa) Vitalicio
 10. Michele Coppolillo (Ita) Mercatone