Clasico RCN-Caja Popular Cooperativa

Preview
Stage One
Stage Two
Stage Three
Stage Four
Stage Five
Stage Six
Stage Seven
Stage Eight - Missing
Stage Nine and Final GC
Summary of Day to Day Winners and GC

Clasico RCN-Caja Popular Cooperativa, Colombia, Cat. 2.4

Clasico RCN 1996 starts in Urena, Venezuela, on Saturday 16 March and finishes in Medellin Monday, March 25. It will be a race for the accomplished climbers with a very mountainous route, only the prologue and the fifth stage can be described as flat.

Angel Yesid Camargo (Glacial-Selle Italia), who just won Vuelta Postobon de Cundinamarca, is the big favourite among the 91 starting riders. Other favourites are Julio Cesar Aguirre and 'Chepe' Gonzalez (Kelme-Artiach), Luis Espinosa (Manzana Postobon), Alvaro Sierra, Celio Roncancio and Henry Cardenas (Glacial-Selle Italia), Juan Diego Ramirez, Argiro Zapata and Hector Ivan Palacio (Gobernacion de Antioquia - Loteria de Medellin).

The stages:

March 16 Prologue Urena (Venezuela)-Cucuta (ITT)                          8 km
March 17 Stage  1 Cucuta-Bucaramanga                                    210 km
March 18 Stage  2 Bucaramanga-Barbosa                                   210 km
March 19 Stage  3 Barbosa-Cerveceria Leona en Tocancipa                 170 km
March 20 Stage  4 Cajica-Pacho-Ubate-Zipaquira                          172 km
March 21 Stage  5 Mosquera-La Mesa-Ibague                               185 km
March 22 Stage  6 Ibague-Buga                                           197 km
March 23 Stage  7 Buga-Sevilla-La Tebaida-Pereira                       208 km
March 24 Stage  8 Santa Rosa de Cabal-Medellin-Alto de Las Palmas       206 km
March 25 Stage  9 Medellin-Santa Helena (ITT)                            16 km

Recent winners:

1993 Luis Alberto 'El Pollo' Gonzalez (Gaseosas Glacial)
1994 Julio Cesar Aguirre (Pony Malta-Kelme)
1995 Raul Montana (Manzana Postobon)

Prologue Cucuta-Bucaramanga 8 km:

 1. Duban Ramirez (Aguardiente Medellin)  8km in 7.30
 2. Montana (Postobon) +13 secs
 3. H. Cardenas (Glacial-Selle Italia)
 4. A-Y. Camargo (Glacial-Selle Italia)
 5. Cabrera (Glacial-Selle Italia)
 6. J. Hernandez (Pony Malta)
 7. A. Camargo (Postobon)
 8. I. Ochoa (Glacial-Selle Italia)
 9. Bernal (Postobon)
10. C. Roncanio (Glacial-Selle Italia)


Stage 1 Cucuta-Bucaramanga 210 km:
 1. Israel Ochoa (Col) Glacial-Selle Italia


Overall:
 1. Israel Ochoa (Col) Glacial-Selle Italia
 2. Alvaro Lozano (Col) Manzana-Postobon        + 1.44
 3. Jose Castelblanco (Col) Kelme               + 3.23


Stage 2 Bucaramanga-Barbosa 210 km:
 1. Henry Cardenas (Col) Gaseosas Glacial Selle-Italia          6.10.16
 2. Rubert Albeiro Marin (Col) Manzana Postobon
 3. Carlos Contreras (Col) Pony Malta-Kelme
 4. Julio Cesar Aguirre (Col) Pony Malta-Kelme
 5. Israel Ochoa (Col) Gaseosa Glacial Selle-Italia             all s.t.
 6. J. Hernandez (Pony Malta) all s.t.
 7. D. Ramirez (Loteria de Medellin) +6 secs
 8. Sarmiento (Pony Malta)
 9. J.D. Ramirez (Loteria de Medellin)
10. A. Sierra (Glacial Selle Italia)
 
Overall:
 1. Israel Ochoa (Col) Gaseosas Glacial Selle-Italia               12.02.48
 2. Alvaro Lozano (Col) Manzana Postobon                             + 1.50
 3. Jose Castelblanco (Col) Pony Malta-Kelme                         + 3.29
 4. Duban Ramirez (Col) Aguardiente Antioqueno-Loteria de Medellin   + 4.35
 5. Henry Cardenas (Col) Gaseosas Glacial Selle-Italia               + 4.42
 6. J. Hernandez						     + 4.43
 7. A.Y. Camargo (Glacial Selle Italia) 			     + 4.48
 8. A Camargo (Postobon) 					      s.t.
 9. Roncanio (Glacial Selle Italia) 				     + 4.54
10. Aguirre (Pony Malta) 				             + 4.58

Mountains:
 1. Miguel Sanabria, Gaseosas Glacial Selle-Italia 43 pts

Metas Volantes:
 1. Jairo Perez, Agua Natural Glacial 11 pts

Points:
 1. Israel Ochoa, Gaseosa Glacial Selle-Italia 37 pts

Coming up:
March 19 Stage  3 Barbosa-Cerveceria Leona en Tocancipa                 178 km
March 20 Stage  4 Cajica-Pacho-Ubate-Zipaquira                          172 km
March 21 Stage  5 Mosquera-La Mesa-Ibague                               185 km
March 22 Stage  6 Ibague-Buga                                           197 km
March 23 Stage  7 Buga-Sevilla-La Tebaida-Pereira                       208 km
March 24 Stage  8 Santa Rosa de Cabal-Medellin-Alto de Las Palmas       206 km
March 25 Stage  9 Medellin-Santa Helena (ITT)                            16 km

Stage 3 Barbosa-Cerveceria Leona en Tocancipa 178 km:
 1. Felix Cardenas, Pony Malta-Avianca          4.52.03
 2. Rubert Albeiro Marin, Manzana Postobon
 3. Ismael Sarmiento, Pony Malta-Avianca
 4. Hebert Gutierrez, Pony Malta-Avianca
 5. Julio Bernal, Manzana Postobon              all s.t.


Overall:
 1. Israel Ochoa, Glacial-Selle Italia                           16.54.51
 2. Alvaro Lozano, Postobon                                       + 1.50
 3. Jose Castelblanco, Pony Malta-Kelme                           + 3.29
 4. Duban Ramirez, Aguardiente Antioqueno-Loteria de Medellin     + 4.32
 5. Henry Cardenas, Glacial-Selle Italia                          + 4.42


Stage Four - Zipaquira-Zipaquira March 21
 1. Julio Cesar Aguirre (Pony Malta) 4.36.38
 2. F. Cardenas (Pony Malta) +20 secs
 3. Contreras (Pony Malta)
 4. Rico (Postobon)
 5. Mesa (Pony Malta)
 6. Ospina (Orgullo)
 7. Chiles (Pony Malta)
 8. Ochoa (Glacial Selle Italia)
 9. Palacio (Loteria de Medellin)
10. J.J. Gonzalez (Pony Malta) all s.t.

Overall after stage 4
 1. Israel Ochoa (Glacial Selle Italia) 21.31.49
 2. Lozano (Postobon) +1.50
 3. Castelblanco (Pony Malta) +3.29
 4. D. Ramirez (Loteria de Medellin) +4.35
 5. Aguirre (Pony Malta) +4.38
 6. Cardenas (Glacial Selle Italia) +4.42
 7. J. Hernandez (Pony Malta) +4.43
 8. Camargo (Glacial Selle Italia) +4.48
 9. Roncanio (Glacial Selle Italia) +4.54
10. Garavito (Pony Malta) +5.03


Castelblanco fails drug test in Clasico RCN

Jose Castelblanco, Pony Malta-Kelme, third overall after the fourth stage,
has been taken out of the race. He was one of the five riders selected for
a drug test but never showed up on time and that automatically counts as a
failed test. Besides being taken out of the race he faces a six month
suspension.

Stage 5 Mosquera-La Mesa-Ibague 185 km:
 1. Julio Bernal, Manzana Postobon              4.32.18
 2. Heber Gutierrez, Pony Malta Avianca          + 0.04
 3. Ramon Fernando Garcia, Pilsen-Orgullo Paisa  + 0.16
 4. Raul Gomez, Pony Malta Avianca               + 0.19
 5. Ubaldo Mesa, Manzana Postobon                + 0.25


Overall:
 1. Israel Ochoa, Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia                 26.06.04
 2. Alvaro Lozano, Manzana Postobon                               + 1.20
 3. Duban Ramirez, Aguardiente Antioqueno-Loteria de Medellin     + 4.05
 4. Julio Cesar Aguirre, Pony Malta Kelme                         + 4.08
 5. Henry Cardenas, Gaseosas Glacial Selle Italia                 + 4.12

Stage 6 Ibague-Buga 207,9 km:
 1. Jahir Bernal, Todos por Boyaca                               5.22.50
 2. Rubert Albeiro Marin, Manzana Postobon                        + 0.31
 3. Henry Cardenas, Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia
 4. Felix Cardenas, Pony Malta-Avianca
 5. Duban Ramirez, Aguardiente Antioqueno-Loteria de Medellin
-----------
 9. Israel Ochoa, Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia                 all s.t


Overall:
 1. Israel Ochoa, Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia                 31.30.25
 2. Alvaro Lozano, Manzana Postobon                               + 1.20
 3. Duban Ramirez, Aguardiente Antioqueno-Loteria de Medellin     + 4.05
 4. Julio Cesar Aguirre, Pony Malta-Kelme                         + 4.08
 5. Henry Cardenas, Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia                 + 4.12

Mountains:
 1. Felix Cardenas, Pony Malta-Avianca, 75 pts.
Metas volantes:
 1. Raul Gomez, Pony Malta-Avianca, 26
Points:
 1. Rubert Albeiro Marin, Postobon, 83.

Saturday, stage 7 (of 9): Buga-Pereira, 212,1 km


Stage 7 Buga-Pereira
 1. Carlos Alberto Silva (Pony Malta) 208km in 5.39.01
 2. A. Rojas (Postobon)
 3. Castano (Pony Malta)
 4. J.E. Bernal (Postobon)
 5. R. Gomez (Pony Malta)  all s.t.

Overall after Stage 7
 1. Israel Ochoa (Glacial Selle Italia) 37.14.43
 2. Lozano (Postobon) +1.20
 3. D. Ramirez (Loteria de Medellin) +4.00
 4. Aguirre (Pony Malta) +4.02
 5. Cardenas (Glacial Selle Italia) +4.12
 6. J. Hernandez (Pony Malta) +4.13
 7. Roncanio (Glacial Selle Italia) +4.24
 8. J. Bernal (Loteria de Boyaca) +4.27
 9. Palacio (Medellin) +4.34
10. Mesa (Pony Malta) +4.35  


Stage 8 - Missing Results! - Sorry about that

Stage 9 Medellin-Santa Helena (ITT) 16 km
 1. Jair Bernal, Todos por Boyaca                               39.20
 2. Alvaro Sierra, Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia               + 1.18
 3. Luis Alberto 'El Pollo' Gonzalez, Manzana Postobon         + 1.38
 4. Julio Cesar Aguirre, Pony Malta-Kelme                      + 1.45
 5. Celio Roberto Roncancio, Glacial                           + 1.48
 6. German Ospina, Orgullo Paisa                               + 1.57
 7. Israel Ochoa, Glacial                                      + 2.00
 8. Henry Cardenas, Glacial                                    + 2.34
 9. Felix Cardenas, Pony Malta-Avianca                         + 2.35
10. Duban Ramirez, Aguardiente Antioqueno-Loteria de Medellin  + 2.43


Final overall:
 1. Israel Ochoa, Glacial-Selle Italia                       44.07.20
 2. Alvaro Lozano, Manzana Postobon                            + 1.37
 3. Jair Bernal, Todos por Boyaca                              + 1.54
 4. Julio Cesar Aguirre, Pony Malta-Avianca                    + 2.38
 5. Celio Roberto Roncancio, Glacial                           + 3.27
 6. Alvaro Sierra, Glacial                                     + 3.41
 7. Luis A. Gonzalez, Manzana                                  + 4.43
 8. German Ospina, Orgullo Paisa                               + 4.44
 9. Henry Cardenas, Glacial                                    + 4.53
10. Hector Ivan Palacio, Aguardiente Anti.-Loteria de Medellin + 5.36


Other classifications
Mountains:
   Felix Cardenas, Pony Malta-Avianca.

Metas volantes-Intermediate sprints:
   Raul Gomez, Pony Malta-Avianca.

Points:
   Rubert Albeiro Marin, Manzana Postobon.

Camiseta excelencia:
   Otoniel Soto, Municipal de Itagui.

Teams:
   Glacial-Selle Italia.

(Results stage 8, anybody?)


Summary of Stage Winners and GC
Prologue: Duban Ramirez (Orgullo Paisa)
Leader:   Ramirez

Stage 1:  Israel Ochoa (Glacial-Selle Italia)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 2:  Henry Cardenas (Glacial Selle-Italia)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 3:  Felix Cardenas (Pony Malta-Avianca)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 4:  Julio Cesar Aguirre (Kelme)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 5:  Julio Bernal (Manzana Postobon)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 6:  Jahir Bernal (Todos por Boyaca)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 7:  Carlos Alberto Silva (Pony Malta-Avianca)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 8:  Jose Jaime 'Chepe' Gonzalez (Kelme)
Leader:   Ochoa

Stage 9:  Jair Bernal (Todos por Boyaca)
Winner:   Ochoa

96 starting - 54 finishing