50th Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 11 - 26, 2000

Stage 8 - June 18: Oriente-Oriente, 152 km

Live report

Medellín (1:00 p.m. Colombia time). An incredibly fast mountain stage on the eastern outskirts of Medellín. At kilometer 23, not yet into the climbing, the peloton has averaged 50 kph. As the climbing began, so did the rain, making the ascent slippery, and the descents even worse. The peloton gets stretched out all over the mountain as Raul Montaña (Aguardiente Nectar) and Jair Bernal (Lotería de Boyacá) attack and go off the front. The peloton is more reserved climbing and descending with caution.

Race leader Palacio is with the peloton at 3'08" behind Montaña and Bernal. On the final steep and wet descent into Medellín, Montaña misses a turn and falls. Jair Bernal does not look back and is first into Medellín. Montaña wastes no time looking at his scrapes, climbs back on his bike and is 2nd into Medellín at 56 sec. Race leader Palacio attacks on the final kilometers and is 3rd at 1'36".

Reports by Haroldo Camacho

Results:

1. Jair Bernal (Col) Lotería de Boyacá       3.40.58
2. Raúl Montaña (Col) A. Néctar-Aguila Roja	0.57
3. Héctor Iván Palacio (Col) 05-Orbitel	1.37
4. Helder Herrera (Col) 05-Orbitel
5. Héctor Manuel Castaño (Col)	05-Orbitel	1.50
6. Israel Ochoa (Col) A. Néctar-Aguila Roja
7. Miguel Sanabria (Col) 05-Orbitel		1.51
8. Duván Ramírez (Col) 05-Orbitel
9. Germán Ospina (Col)	05-Orbitel		2.06
10. Julio C. Aguirre (Col) 05-Orbitel		2.17

General classification after stage 8:

1. Héctor Iván Palacio (Col) 05-Orbitel     25.35.00
2. Elder Herrera (Col) 05-Orbitel		1.18
3. Duván Ramírez (Col) 05-Orbitel		1.36
4. Alexis Rojas (Col) A. Cristal-Chec		2.10
5. Uberlino Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá	2.27
6. Héctor Manuel Castaño (Col)	05-Orbitel	3.21
7. Israel Ochoa (Col)	A. Néctar-Aguila Roja	3.28
8. Javier Zapata (Col)	05-Orbitel		3.40
9. Miguel Sanabria (Col) 05-Orbitel		4.11
10. Germán Ospina (Col)	A. Antioqueño-LM	4.30