50th Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 11 - 26, 2000

Stage 16 - June 26: Paipa - Bogotá, 184 km

Stage profile

Stage 16 Profile: © www.elcolombiano.com

Report

Paipa 8:30 a.m. Today is the last day of the Vuelta a Colombia, and a holiday giving Colombians a long weekned, just right for the crowds in Bogotá to welcome the 73 riders who today hope to finish the 50th Vuelta a Colombia. The last 184 kms await them after an initial test of climbs, descents, and sprint primes before a long flat stretch into Bogotá along the extensive "Sabana de Bogotá" (the Plateau of Bogotá).

In yesterday's ITT, overall leader Palacio flatted and lost precious seconds to team mate Herrera. After an exhausting effort he managed to sustain a 2 sec. lead over Herrera. "I have some fifty hours of sleep to make up", he said a few minutes before today's start. It is partly sunny, and the weather forecast is the same for the rest of the race.

Alto de Ventaquemada, Km 74 9:45 a.m. Alvaro Sierra (Lotería de Boyacá) goes for the mountain prime and takes off on his own. At the summit he already has a lead of 3'51 over another escapee, José Ibáñez, and 4'30 over the peloton.

Villapinzón, km 90, 10:00 a.m. Cuban Alexánder Clavero takes second place in the sprint prime (2'30") behind Sierra, and thus consolidates his overall sprint prime leadership. Bogotá is still 93 kms away.

3rd Mountain Prime 10:30 a.m. Alvaro Sierra is first over the top and begins a fearless descent into the Sábana de Bogotá, almost 4 minutes ahead of the peloton. Still some 70 kms to Bogotá, but fans already line the road urging him on.

11:50 a.m. The weather has changed on the sabana (the plains). Ahead of Alvaro Sierra, some 30 kms before Bogotá, the well-known drizzle has once again covered the sabana.

20 Kms from the finish line - 11:40 a.m. Sierra's breakaway is in jeopardy. Seems the peloton wants a mass sprint in Bogota and goes after Sierra who is now only 1'50" ahead.

Bogota - 12:05 p.m. A Cuban finally has a stage but Palacio retains his 2 sec lead for the overall. Cuban Giosvany Falcon was unstoppable in the mass sprint as thousands of fans lined the streets on the long entrance to Bogota. 3 kms from the finish line Elder Herrera lauched on his last bid to gain the two seconds over Palacio, but the peloton responded immediately and hauled him back in. Ivan Palacio (05 Orbitel) is the winner, by two seconds, of the 2000 Vuelta a Colombia, on the 50th anniversary of this demanding contest.

Reports and results courtesy of Haroldo Camacho and Alejandro Guerrero

Results:

1. Giosvany Falcon (Cub) Cuba		      4.28.35
2. Victor Bonilla (Col) Aguardiente Antioquia
3. Giosvany Huertas (Col) Lotería Boyacá
4. Ruber Marín (Col) Selle Italia
5. Raúl Montaña (Col) Aguardiente Néctar
6. César Goyeneche (Col) A. Néctar-Aguila Roja
7. Ricardo Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá
8. Jhon Freddy García (Col) A. Cristal-Chec
9. Federico Muñoz (Col) Ciclistas de Jesucristo

Final general classification:

1. Héctor Iván Palacio (Col) 05-Orbitel	     56.51.53
2. Elder Herrera (Col) 05-Orbitel		 0.02
3. Héctor Manuel Castaño (Col) 05-Orbitel	 1.37
4. Dubán Ramírez (Col) 05-Orbitel		 4.45
5. Jair Bernal (Col) Lotería de Boyacá		 7.29
6. Alexis Rojas (Col) A. Cristal-Chec 		 7.48
7. Uberlino Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá 	 8.47
8. Julio César Aguirre (Col) 05-Orbitel		 9.56
9. Federico Muñoz (Col) Ciclistas de Jesucristo 11.08
10. Germán Ospina (Col) A.Antioqueño-LM 	13.18

Other classifications:

King of the Mountain: Raúl Montaña (Col) A. Néctar-Aguila Roja

Most consistent rider: Raúl Montaña (Col) A. Néctar-Aguila Roja

Sprint Champion: Alexander Clavero (Cub) Cuba

Winning Team: Nacional 05-Orbitel