Tour of Murcia - Spain

Vuelta a Murcia (6 - 10 March)

Miguel Indurain will be topping the bill in La Vuelta a la Comunidad Murciana that starts Wednesday, March 6 and ends on Sunday 10 March. It will have a class field in spite of colliding with Paris-Nice. Other notable names are Piotr Ugrumov and Maurizio Fondriest (Roslotto), Spanish champion Jesus Montoya (Motorola), Erik Breukink (Rabobank) and local rider Mariano Rojas (Once).

Among the sprinters are Djamolidine Abdujaparov and Asiat Saitov (Ceramiche Refin) and Jeroen Blijlevens (TVM). Seventeen teams are taking part, five Spanish and twelve foreign. The most notable absence is that of team Mapei (Adriano Baffi won the race last year). Rumour says that there are economical and sporting differences between the organisers and the managers of the Mapei-team.

The stages:

Stage 1 Murcia-Cartagena    167 km
Stage 2 Murcia-Lorca        188 km
Stage 3 Murcia-Caravaca     157 km
Stage 4 Murcia-Yecla        212 km
Stage 5 Murcia-Murcia        15 km (individual time trial)

Other Stages

March 7, Stage 2, Murcia--Lorca (188km)
March 8, Stage 3, Murcia--Caravaca (157km)
March 9, Stage 4, Murcia--Yecla (212km)
March 10, Stage 5, Individual time trial in Murcia (15km)

THE PRINCIPAL PARTICIPANTS:

BANESTO M. Indurain, Davy, Nazon, Hunt; 
ONCE Zulle, Mauri, Zarrabeitia; 
KELME Dominguez; 
EUSKADI D. Garcia; 
MX-ONDA Wust; 
RABOBANK Breukink, Van Petegem; 
FORELDORADO Veenstra; 
LOTTO Sunderland 
COLLSTROP Capiot 
VLAANDEREN 2002 Verstrepen; 
SAECO Martinello; 
PANARIA Tonkov; 
REFIN Imboden; 
MOTOROLA Montoya; 
FESTINA Garcia;  
ROSLOTTO Ugrumov, Fondriest 
GAN Seigneur, Ledanois, Moreau, O'Grady

Stage One

The Tour of Murcia began today (March 6) with a 167km stage from Murcia to Cartagena. The stage was won by Djamolidin Abdujaparov (Uzbek, Ceramiche Refin) who sprinted out of a lead group of 23 riders. Second was Jeroen Blijlevens (Neth, TVM) and third Robbie McEwen (Australia, Rabobank).Overall. Abdujaparov leads Blijlevens by 2 seconds.

Djamolidine Abdujaparov won the first stage of Vuelta a Murcia by winning the sprint from a lead group of 23 riders. Miguel Indurain finished in 118th place, more than nine minutes behind. Djamolidine Abdujaparov also leads overall, with Blijlevens in second place, three seconds behind. Thursday's stage Cartagena-Lorca has two first category climbs; Espuda and Collado Bermejo.

Stage 1 Murcia-Cartagena 167 km:

 1. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb) Refin 4.08.42 (40,2 km/tim)
 2. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM            s.t.
 3. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank           s.t.
 4. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Roslotto      s.t.
 5. Wiebren Veenstra (Ned) Foreldorado     s.t.
 6. Gord Fraser (Can, Motorola)
 7. Zbigniew  Spruch (Pol, Ceramica Panaria-Vinavil)
 8. Kaspars Ozers (Lat,  Motorola)
 9. Marco Serpellini (It, Ceramica Panaria-Vinavil)
10. Yvon Ledanois (Fr, GAN)        all s.t.
------
118. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto      + 9.19

Overall (with time bonuses):

 1. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb) Refin 4.08.34
 2. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM          + 0.03
 3. Gordon Fraser (Can) Motorola           s.t.
 4. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Rabobank         + 0.06
 5. Fondriest +8

Stage 2

Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus, Rabobank) won the second stage of the Vuelta a Murcia today (March 7), 180km between Murcia and Lorca. Second in the sprint was Rodolfo Massi (It, Ceramiche Refin) and third Melchor Mauri (Sp, ONCE). Massi took over the overall lead.

Stage 2 Murcia-Lorca 182,8 km:

 1. Vjatjeslav Ekimov (Rus) Rabobank    4.47.37
 2. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Refin              s.t.
 3. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once               s.t.
 4. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Panaria           s.t.
 5. Alex Zulle (Sch) Once                + 0.10
 6. Neil Stephens (Aus) Once             + 0.51
 7. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Panaria         s.t.
 8. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Once           s.t.
 9. Luc Roosen (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002       s.t.
10. Ignacio Garcia Camacho (Spa) Kelme     s.t.

Overall:

 1. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Refin           8.56.22
 2. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once             + 0.05
 3. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Panaria           s.t.
 4. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Panaria       + 0.56
 5. Neil Stephens (Aus) Once               s.t.
 6. Maurizio Fondriest (Ita) Roslotto    + 1.34
 7. Zbigniew Spruch (Pol) Panaria          s.t.
 8. Yvon Ledanois (Fra) Gan                s.t.
 9. Eleuterio Anguita (Spa) MX Onda        s.t.
10. Asiat Saitov (Rus) Refin               s.t.
----
120. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto       +25.32

Report

Ekimov broke clear from the lead group in characteristic style 800m from the line. There were four ONCE in the small break -- Zulle, Stephens, Zarrabeitia and Mauri -- which consolidated on a small climb. Miguel Indurain couldn't keep up with the pace and lost 9 minutes on the stage, having lost 9 minutes the previous day. On the descent of the hill, Fondriest crashed without injury but lost touch with the break.

Stage 3

Australian Stuart O'Grady (GAN) won the third stage of the Vuelta a Murcia today (March 8). 157km from Murcia to Caravaca. Second was John Talen (Netherlands, Foreldorado-Golff) and third Mario Manzoni (Italy, Roslotto- ZG Mobili). Rodolfo Massi retains the overall lead, 2 seconds ahead of Melchor Mauri, with Wladimir Belli third at 5 secs.

Stage 3 Murcia-Caravaca de la Cruz 159 km:

 1. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Gan             4.12.29 (37,785 km/h)
 2. John Talen (Ned) Foreldorado
 3. Mario Manzoni (Ita) Roslotto
 4. Mario Aerts (Bel) Vlaanderen 2002
 5. Asiat Saitov (Rus) Refin
 6. Kaspars Ozers (Let) Motorola
 7. Steven De Jongh  (Ned) TVM
 8. Hendrik van Dijck (Bel) TVM
 9. Oleg Kozlitine (Kaz) Lotto
10. Damien Nazon (Fra) Banesto          all s.t.
----------
82. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto        + 5'20

Overall:

 1. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Refin           13.08.51
 2. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once             + 0.02
 3. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Panaria         + 0.05
 4. Neil Stephens (Aus) Once             + 0.56
 5. Asiat Saitov (Rus) Refin             + 1.34
 6. Hendrik van Dijck (Bel) TVM
 7. Eluterio Anguita (Spa) MX Onda
 8, Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme
 9. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM
10. Danny Nelissen (Ned) TVM
11. Piotr Ugrumov (Let) Roslotto        all s.t. as Saitov
--------
26. Alex Zulle (Sch) Once               + 3.57
--------
110. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto      +30.52

Stage 4 - Australian fiesta in Murcia

For the second day in a row an Australian was first over the line in Vuelta a Murcia. Robert McEwen from the Dutch Rabobank team won the fourth stage in Yecla out sprinting Abdujaparov and Blijlevens.

The overall standings didn't change with Massi two seconds ahead of Melchor Mauri. The fifth and last stage is a 15 km race against the clock in Murcia and Mauri, being an outstanding time trialist, is the big favourite both for the stage and overall win.

Miguel Indurain, who has started the season in his usual discreet way, said after the stage that he will make a definite decision about his pre-Tour programme after the Catalan Week (March 25-29).

tage 4 Murcia-Yecla 212 km:

 1. Robert McEwen (Aus) Rabobank             6.23.34
 2. Djamolidine Abdujaparov (Uzb) Refin
 3. Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) TVM
 4. Jan Svorada (Cze) Panaria
 5. Mario Manzoni (Ita) Roslotto            all s.t.

Overall:

 1. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Refin          19.35.25
 2. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once             + 0.02
 3. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Panaria         + 0.05
 4. Neil Stephens (Aus) Once             + 0.56
 5. Asiat Saitov (Rus) Refin             + 1.34
 6. Hendrik van Dijck (Bel) TVM
 7. Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme
 8. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM
 9. Danny Nelissen (Ned) TVM
10. Piotr Ugrumov (Let) Roslotto        all s.t. as Saitov

Double for Mauri

Melchor Mauri made it a double win on the final day in the Vuelta a Murcia. Mauri won the last stage, a time trial of 15 kms, and also took the overall win.

Stage 5, Individual time trial in Murcia, 15 km:

 1. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once                     18.16  (50,912 km/h)
 2. Neil Stephens (Aus) Once                    + 0.07
 3. Alex Zulle (Sch) Once                       + 0.11
 4. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Panaria                + 0.24
 5. Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme                 + 0.28
 6. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Panaria              + 0.30
 7. Vjatjeslav Ekimov (Rus) Rabobank            + 0.35
 8. Francis Moreau (Fra) Gan                    + 0.53
 9. Alvaro Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) Euskadi   + 0.56
10. Juan Carlos Vicario (Spa) MX-Onda           + 0.59

Final Overall

 1. Melchor Mauri (Spa) Once                  19.50.43
 2. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Panaria                + 0.27
 3. Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Refin                   + 1.01
 4. Neil Stephens (Aus) Once                       s.t.
 5. Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme                 + 2.00
 6. Vjatjeslav Ekimov (Rus) Rabobank            + 2.12
 7. Danny Nelissen (Ned) Rabobank               + 2.38
 8. Servais Knaven (Ned) TVM                    + 2.50
 9. Asiat Saitov (Rus) Refin                    + 2.54
10. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Panaria              + 3.13 
...
92. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto         +34.11

Stage 3 Mar 8

O'Grady Shines

The Australian Stuart O'Grady yesterday won the sprint for the 3rd stage 
of the Tour of Murcia, run on a cold and rainy day. Fondriest didn't start
the stage since he fell and injured his left knee, today he will visit
Marco Pantani's orthopedic specialist. 

The stage was characterised by a long escape by Jesper Skibby after 30km,
who had a 7 minute advantage tt 94km. However, a 1st cat climb on the
second half of the route reined back the Dane, who's lead fell to 3'26" at
108km. O'Grady, Santiago, Blanco and Moller overtook Skibby at 142km.
At 5km from the end a following group of 16 recaptured the four breakaways.
All remained together until the sprint in which the Australian suprised
ereryone, evidently still fresh despite initiating the earlier attacks.
[Translator's note: Why the suprise? He is the reigning 400m pursuit World 
champion and record holder].

Stage 4 Mar 9

Robert McEwen from the Dutch Rabobank team
won the fourth stage in Yecla out sprinting Abdujaparov and
Blijlevens. 

The longest stage of the tour slid by without attacks at a final average
speed of only 33km/h. The peloton passed some snow at the first Gpm
(pass?), and this, along with the thought of tomorrow's final time trial,
moved them to slow down to tourist pace. In the sprint Abdu made a long run
for it but couldn't resist the 23 year old Australian's comeback.


from Graham Dowden