50th Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 11 - 26, 2000

Stage 5 - June 15: Caucasia-Yarumal, 164 km

Live report

5th Stage: Caucasia - Yarumal, 164 km., 1st mountain stage. Pre-race buzz. Late afternoon yesterday, the riders boarded buses to Caucasia, the start of today's stage, the first of several mountain stage in the Andes. Publicly the Colombian riders have had nothing but congratulations for the Latvian "Bestia Mona" and his 4 consecutive wins, first for a foreign rider. But talk has it that in one of the team buses a team director boarded waving some stat sheets up in the air. They happened to be result printouts of the 8th stage of the Giro D'Italia, coincidentally the first of the mountain stages of that recent event. "Se retiro, se retiro", he repeated. "He quit, he quit." There it was, at the end of the list, the name Andris Nauduzs, and beside: DNF. At the previous stage, Nauduzs was back at 153 in the G.C., almost an hour behind the leaders. By the time the bus got to Caucasia, somehow the word had spread, and by breakfast time today, it was the buzz among the riders. Whether Andris, with his limited Spanish has gotten wind of the buzz is uncertain. But perhaps no one is more aware of that fact than this now four stage winner, as the riders move to the staging area...

The riders just left the start line at a very moderate pace through Caucasia and its outskirts where hundreds of people didn't show up to work early just to cheer the riders on alongside the road. The first 100 kms will be in more of the flatlands with three sprint primes. Then, suddenly at km 104, and at only some 120 meters above sea level the mountains greet the riders. Within the next 64 kms. the riders will climb 2,330 meters (nearly 7,000 feet) to the finish line at Yarumal. More than one climber feels ready for the challenge.

Buzzed off: Nauduzs withdraws but with great memories. Palacio first in the mountains, assumes tri-colored jersey. Team Orbitel 05 makes a statement.

Only 11 minutes into the first major climb of the day, Nauduzs fell back, and withdrew from the remaining competition. There was something to that buzz this morning. He earned the respect of the Colombians in the heat of the sprints. It's all Colombians from here on. The Cubans continue to do well in the sprint primes, Alexander Clavero leading that category. At four hours into the stage, a breakway of three with Uberlino Mesa (Loteria de Boyaca) at the lead reach the mountain prime, just 22 kms from the finish line. With Uberlino Mesa are Hector Ivan Palacios (Orbitel 05), and Alexis Rojas (Aguardiente Cristal). The peloton followed at 2'23". The breakaway held and at the end, Palacios edged out Mesa and Rojas, having gained over three minutes on the peloton. On to Medellin in the morning.

Reports courtesy of Haroldo Camacho

Results:

1. Héctor Iván Palacio (Col) 05 Orbitel	     	     4.41.11
2. Uberlino Meza (Col) Lotería de Boyacá 
3. Alexis Rojas (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec		0.05
4. Élder Herrera (Col) 05-Orbitel			1.35
5. Duván Ramírez (Col) 05-Orbitel			2.11
6. Julio Rangel (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec 		2.48
7. Héctor Manuel Castaño (Col) 05-Orbitel
8. Javier Zapata (Col) 05-Orbitel
9. Alvaro Sierra (Col) Lotería de Boyacá 
10. Miguel Sanabria (Col) 05-Orbitel 

General classification after stage 5:

1. Héctor Iván Palacio (Col) 05 Orbitel	18.07.29
2. Uberlino Meza (Col) Lotería de Boyacá		0.04
3. Alexis Rojas (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec		0.11
4. Élder Herrera (Col) 05-Orbitel			1.45
5. Duván Ramírez (Col) 05-Orbitel			2.21
6. Julio Rangel (Col) Aguardiente Cristal-Chec 		2.58
7. Héctor Manuel Castillo (Col) 05-Orbitel
8. Javier Zapata (Col) 05-Orbitel			3.21
9. Miguel Sanabria (Col) 05-Orbitel 
10. Julio César Aguirre (Col) 05-Orbitel