Tour of Asturias - Spain

May 16-21

The Stages

Stage 1, 6 kms ITT, up Oviedo's stiff Monte Naranco
Stage 2, 17 May, Oviedo--Aviles, 172km
Stage 3, 18 May, Aviles--Lacs de Covadonga, 156km
Stage 4, 19 May, Cangas de Onis--Gijon, 162km
Stage 5, 20 May, Gijon--Alto de Acebo, 200km
Stage 6, 21 May, Cangas del Narcea--Oviedo, 156km

Race Report Stage 1 Miguel Indurain won the first stage of the Tour of Asturias today (May 16). Second in the stage, a 6km time trial over the difficult slopes of Naranco above Oviedo, was Beat Zberg at 26 seconds. More information on this first stage tomorrow. The race includes 17 climbs in the Cantabrian range including a summit finish at Covadonga on Thursday. Gianni Bugno is also taking part in the race.

The Spaniard Miguel Indurain showed yesterday that he is in an good shape winning the first Stage of the Vuelta a Asturias, a 6 kilometer Time Trial from Oviedo to Alto del Naranco. When asked about Rominger, Indurain said, "He is winning, his morale is high and he really has an appetite for victory. I hope that in the Tour the two of us will be up there. That will be good."

Stage 1 - 6 kms ITT - up Oviedo's stiff Monte Naranco

  1. Miguel Indurain (Spain) Banesto     12:21
  2. Beat Zberg (Switzerland) Carrera     + 26 secs.
  3. Iigo Cuesta (Spain) Euskadi            28
  4. Andrea Chiurato (Italy) Mapei-GB       30
  5. Santiago Blanco (Spain) Banesto        41
And;
 23. Gianni Bugno                         1:28

Stage 3 - 155 kms

Indurain lost this time by not responding to Chiruato's attack in the last few kilometers.

  1. Andrea Chiurato (Italy-Mapei-GB)      4:01:20
  2. Beat Zberg (Switzerland-Carrera)         + 36 secs.
  3. Libardo Nino (Columbia-Kelme)              38
  4. Felix Garcia Casas (Spain-Artiach)         44
  5. Inigo Cuesta (Spain-Euskadi)             1:06
  6. Vicente Aparicio (Spain-Banesto)          s.t.
  7. Santiago Blanco (Spain-Banesto)          1:18
  8. Mariano Rojas (Spain-ONCE)               1:52
  9. Antonio Politano (Italy-Saeco-Mercatone) 2:02
 10. Jose Manuel Garcia (Spain-Artiach)       2:07
 11. Miguel Indurain (Spain-Banesto)          2:14

G.C. (3)

  1. Chiurato                              8:38:06
  2. Zberg                                      47 secs.
  3. Nino                                     1:16
  4. Cuesta                                   1:19
  5. Aparicio                                 1:33
  6. Blanco                                   1:44
  7. Garcia Casas                             1:48
  8. Indurain                                 1:59
  9. Politano                                 2:59
 10. Garcia                                   3:02

Stage 4 - 162 kms

  1. Samuele Schiavina (Italy) Carrera              03:52:41
  2. Mariano Moreda (Spain) Artiach
  3. John Talen (Netherlands) Saeco-Mercatone
  4. Frederic Moncassin (France) Novell-Software
  5. Maximilian Schiandri (Italy) MG-Tecnologin
  6. Beat Zberg (Switzerland) Carrera
  7. Dimitri Tcherkachine (Russia) Santa Clara
  8. Giussepe Petito (Italy) Saeco-Mercatone
  9. Jean Pierre Heynderickx (Belgium) Collstrop
 10. Jose Antonio Espinosa (Spain) Castellblanch    all s.t.

G.C. (4)

  1. Andrea Chiurato (Italy) Mapei-GB       12:30:47
  2. Zberg                                        47 secs.
  3. Libardo Nino (Colombia) Kelme              1:16
  4. Inigo Cuesta (Spain) Euskadi               1:19
  5. Vicente Aparicio (Spain) Banesto           1:33
  6. Santiago Blanco (Spain) Banesto            1:44
  7. Felix Garcia Casas (Spain) Artiach         1:48
  8. Miguel Indurain (Spain) Banesto            1:59
  9. Antonio Politano (Italy) Saeco-Mercatone   2:59
 10. Jose Manuel Garcia (Spain) Artiach         3:02

Stage 5

Sorry results not available as yet.

Stage 6 and Final - 158 kms

  1. Beat Zberg (Switzerland) Carrera             3:40:42
  2. Thomas Fleischer (Germany) Collstrop
  3. Melchor Mauri (Spain) Once
  4. Maximilian Sciandri (Italy) MG-Technogy
  5. Miguel Indurain (Spain) Banesto
  6. Mariano Moreda (Spain) Artiach
  7. Guiseppe Petito (Italy) Saeco-Mercatone
  8. Antonio Politano (Italy) Saeco-Mercatone
  9. Andrea Chiurato (Italy) Mapei-GB
 10. Erik Dekker (Netherlands) Novell-Software    all s.t.

Final General Classification

  1. Zberg                                21:48:02
  2. Cuesta                                 + 1:10
  3. Indurain                                 1:11
  4. Vicente Aparicio (Spain) Banesto         1:34
  5. Libardo Nino (Colombia) Kelme            2:01
  6. Felix Garcia Casas (Spain) Artiach       2:36
  7. Santiago Blanco (Spain) Banesto          4:12
  8. Mariano Rojas (Spain-Once)               4:14
  9. Politano                                 4:26
 10. Jose Manuel Garcia (Spain-Artiach)       6:55