50th Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 11 - 26, 2000

Main page    Results    Previous stage

Stage 4 - June 14: Sincelejo-Montería, 122 km

Live report

9:40 a.m. (Colombia time) The last of the flatland stages left Sincelejo over an hour ago. Many of the team vehicles don't have air conditioning, and yesterday the ice was all melted in the water bottle coolers half way through the race. More of the same today. Undaunted the peloton raced through the first prime at km 27, some 39 min. into the stage. Alvaro Lozano led the field, followed by Oscar Alarcon, Giovanni Huertas, and Giovanni Falcon, one of the Cubans who have all had strong showings this year. Nauduzs, race leader is content to sit not too far from the front of the peloton. No one has any doubts about his intentions for today as well. So far the strategy of the Colombians has been for solo early break aways. Perhaps if they could get a team to pull away together... But no... there goes Marlon Perez in another solo break away... the peloton responds and he's quickly pulled back. Another prime coming up at km. 51... One slight rolling hill after the prime, enough to tempt someone to break away... the stage develops inland but at sea level.

10:05 a.m. (Colombia time). Back in the peloton Jose Luis Vanegas is thinking about his second boy who was born yesterday in Bogota while Vanegas was on the road. Vanegas will see his new born son when the Vuelta finishes in Bogota on the 26th... Meanwhile, a group of some 17 riders breaks away shortly before the second prime with about 35 sec. over the peloton. Is this the awaited group response to Nauduzs? The sprint went to Miguel Niño, Giovanni Huertas, Rubert Marin (back from the Giro D'Italia), and another Cuban, Luis Romero in close pursuit. The last prime is coming at about km 85 in a stretch of flats that continues clear to the finish line at 122 kms. in Montería.

11:19 a.m. New nickname for Nauduzs: "La Bestia Mona" (The Blonde Beast). That's what the Colombians in Montería are calling the Latvian after his 4th sprint win in this 50th Vuelta a Colombia. Jhon Freddy Garcia, Marlon Perez, Giosvanni Gutierrez (Cuba), Pedro Pablo Perez followed in the sprint. Colombian climber Alvaro Sierra (Loteria Boyaca), favorite to win the Vuelta fell just before the last kilometer, and is more than a minute behind the lead.

Live reports by Haroldo Camacho

Results:

1. Andris Nauduzs (Lat) Selle Italia 		      2.48.15
2. Jhon Freddy García (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec
3. Marlon Pérez (Col) Aguardiente Antioqueño-LM
4. Hernán Antolínez (Col) Panamericanos 2000
5. Víctor Herrera (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec
6. Ruber A. Marín (Col) Selle-Italia  
7. Héctor I. Palacio (Col) 05-Orbitel 
8. Leonardo Scarselli (Ita) Selle-Italia 
9. Ramón F. García (Col) Aguardiente Antioqueño-LM
10. Javier Anaya (Col) Ciclistas de Jesucristo  

General classification after stage 4.

1. Andris Nauduzs (Lat) Selle Italia		    13.25.48
2. Jhon Freddy García(Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec	0.19
3. Marlon Pérez (Col) Aguardiente Antioqueño-LM		0.30
4. Yosvani Gutiérrez (Cub) Cuba				0.34
5. Miguel Niño (Col) Equipo Federación			0.37
6. Armando Ospina (Col) Club Cicloases 
7. Jairo Camargo (Col) Ron Boyacá  
8. Geovanny Huertas (Col) Lotería de Boyacá		0.38
9. Gustavo Guzmán (Col) Ron Boyacá 
10. Oscar Alarcón (Col) Panamericanos 2000		0.39