29th Trofeo Comunidad Foral de Navarra-GP Navarra

Spain, April 6, 1997

Race Distance - 186 km:

  1. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Once          4.58.50
  2. Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Euskadi
  3. David Etxebarria (Spa) Once          all s.t.
  4. Abraham Olano (Spa) Banesto            + 0.20
  5. Aitor Bugallo (Spa) Euskadi
  6. Inigo Gonzalez (Spa) Euskadi
  7. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Once
  8. Claus Michael Mvller (Den) Toscaf
  9. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) Toscaf
 10. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme
 11. Javier Maulesn (Spa) Once
 12. Inigo Cuesta (Spa) Once             all s.t.

Report

Mikel Zarrabeitia (Once) won the XXIX Trofeo Comunidad Foral de Navarra, which was contested over a distance of 186 kilometers and becomes one of the riders that will fight for the overall at la Vuelta al Pais Vasco, even though his team counts with Zulle and Jalabert as leaders. Zarrabeitia attacked, together with his teammate David Etxebarria and Bingen Fernandez (Euskadi), on the ascent to the puerto de Echauri, located at 44 kms. from the finish. The two ONCE riders, first and the Euskadi riders behind rolled very fast, while behind, Abraham Nedno and Santi Blanco (Banesto) punished themselves to try to neutralize the escape, but weren't able to do it. Zarrabeitia won the race in the sprint, when he beat his escape companions, David Etxeberria (Once) and Bingen Fernandez (Euskadi).