Vuelta a Andalucia (Ruta del Sol) - Cat. 2.3Spain, February 13-17, 2000Stage 4 - February 16: Cordova Jaen, 185 kmBlanco 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. 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 |