51st Vuelta a Colombia - 2.5

Colombia, June 17 - July 2, 2001

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Prologue - June 17: Popayán - Popayán ITT, 8.8 km

Stage description

Reporting by Daniel Alejandro Lopez

The prologue in the colonial city of Popayán is about 8.8 kilometers and tends to be downhill. The start is at 1700m and the finish is at 1610 meters above the sea level. The road is in excellent condition. Today is the oportunity for the masters of the time trial stages for getting the tricolor jersey (the yellow, blue and red of the Colombian national flag).

Marlon Perez takes opening stage

Colombian ex-world champion Marlon Perez has won the prologue of the 51th Vuelta a Colombia-Telecom. Pérez, a track specialist, took eight minutes and fifty one seconds to beat all the cyclists with a spectacular average speed of 59.661 km/h.

Although Marlon Perez is not a favorite for wining the Vuelta, he will probably defend the tricolor jersey and win more stages until the high mountains appear.

The diferences between the favorites for the final victory were very close. The rider who gained a lot from the stage was Ismael Sarmiento put several seconds into the other title aspirants. The losers were Jairo Hernándes, one of the most important favorites, who yielded 1.27 and Carlos Contreras, 8th in the general classification and winner of a stage in the Giro de Italia, who yielded 48 seconds.

Results

1 Marlon Perez (Col) 05 ORBITEL                             8.51 (59.661 km/h)
2 Ismael Sarmiento (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                  0.17
3 Javier Zapata (Col) 05 ORBITEL                            0.21
4 Raul Montaña (Col) Aguardiente Néctar                     0.23
5 Dubán Ramírez (Col) Empresas Públicas Medellín            0.26
6 Israel Ochoa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá
7 Libardo Niño (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                      0.30
8 Elder Herrera (Col) 05 ORBITEL                            0.31
9 Angel Yesid Camargo (Col) Lotería de Boyacá               0.33
10 Jairo Pérez (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                      0.35
11 Hernán Buenahora (Col) Selle Italia- Baterías MAC        0.36
12 Juan Diego Ramírez (Col) 05 ORBITEL
13 Héctor Iván Palacios (Col) Empresas Públicas Medellín
14 Hernán Darío Bonilla (Col) 05 ORBITEL                    0.37
15 Julio César Aguirre (Col) 05 ORBITEL                     0.38
16 Héctor Manuel Castaño (Col) Empresas Públicas Medellín   0.39
17 Víctor Herrera (Col) Aguardiente Néctar
18 Daniel Rincón (Col) 05 ORBITEL                           0.40
19 Luis Orán Castañeda (Col) 05 ORBITEL
20 Carlos A Osorio (Col) 05 ORBITEL

Others

Uberlino Mesa (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                       0.44
Alexis Rojas (Col) Aguardiente Néctar                       0.47
Carlos Contreras (Col) Selle Italia- Baterías MAC           0.48
Alvaro Sierra (Col) Lotería de Boyacá                       0.50
Jairo Hernández (Col) 05 ORBITEL                            1.27