51st Vuelta Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 17 - July 2, 2001

Stage 9 - June 26: Manizales - Honda, 140.8 km

Buenahora wins on the "roof" of the Vuelta

By Daniel Lopez

Hernán Buenahora has won the most spectacular stage of the Vuelta a Colombia. After a solo escape of more than 120 kilometres he took significant time out of his rivals.

Buenahora attacked from the start of the stage and split the group in the first kilometers of the ascention to the Paramo de Letras. This is the highest climb of the Vuelta, located at 3600 metres above the sea level.

Buenahora had a gap of 1.18 to a group formed by Venezuelan Noel Vasquez, and Colombian Juan Diego Ramirez, and 3.37 to the ex-leader Javier Zapata. Zapata reduced the diference on the descent with the help of his teammates Jairo Hernández and Juan Diego Ramírez. They arrived at 2.13 behind Buenahora, after a chase of more than 90 kilometres.

Stage description

The 9th stage is between the city of Manizales and the Port of Honda located in the Magdalena River and is about 140 km.

The main atraction of the stage is the ascension of the only above category climb and "roof" of the Vuelta: Paramo de Letras, located at an altitude of 3600 meters.

The climb is about 37 kilometres and is at the beginning of the stage. Then there is a long downhill to Honda (400m) which is approximately 100 kilometres.

Today is one of the last oportunities for making important differences in the G.C.

Results

1 Hernán Buenahora (Col) Baterías Mac - Selle Italia     3.23.54
2 Juan D. Ramírez (Col) 05 Orbitel                          2.13
3 Javier Zapata (Col) 05 Orbitel                            
4 Noel Vásquez (Ven) Lotería del Táchira                    
5 Jairo Hernández (Col) 05 Orbitel                          2.25
6 Alexis Rojas (Col) Aguardiente Néctar                     4.03
7 Ubaldo Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                       
8 Uberlino Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                     
9 Héctor M. Castaño (Col) EEPP de Medellín- Ag.Antioqueño   
10 Marlon Pérez (Col) 05 Orbitel                            6.38

Mountains

Paramo de Letras (3600 m) - Cat. HC, km 40

1 Hernán Buenahora (Col)  Selle Italia Baterías MAC
2 Víctor Niño (Col) Lotería de Boyacá
3 Noel Vásquez (Ven) Lotería del Táchira
4 Juan Diego Ramírez (Col) 05 ORBITEL
5 Jair Bernal (Col) Lotería de Boyacá

Intermediate sprint

Mariquita - km 120

1 Hernán Buenahora (Col)  Selle Italia Baterías MAC
2 Juan Diego Ramírez (Col) 05 ORBITEL
3 Javier Zapata (Col) 05 ORBITEL 
4 Jairo Hernández (Col) 05 Orbitel
  
General classification after stage 9

1 Hernán Buenahora (Col) Baterías Mac - Selle Italia    27.00.19
2 Javier Zapata (Col) 05 Orbitel                            2.08
3 Juan D. Ramírez (Col) 05 Orbitel                          3.37
4 Jairo Hernández (Col) 05 Orbitel                          4.58
5 Héctor M. Castaño (Col) EEPP de Medellín- Ag.Antioqueño   5.35
6 Noel Vásquez (Ven) Lotería del Táchira                    5.37
7 Uberlino Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                     8.36
8 Marlon Pérez (Col) 05 Orbitel                             8.49
9 Alexis Rojas (Col) Aguardiente Néctar                     8.50
10 Ubaldo Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                      9.03

Points classification

1 Marlon Pérez (Col) 05 Orbitel                       108 pts

Mountains classification
                  
1 Hernán Buenahora (Col) Baterías Mac - Selle Italia   70 pts

Metas volantes classification

1 Guillermo Chaparro (Col)    16 pts

Neo-pro

1 Luis Oran Castañeda (Col) 05 Orbitel

Courtesy of Luis Barbosa