Vuelta a Asturias 14-19 May (Cat. 2.2)

Preview
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6

Preview

Miguel Indurain will be topping the bill in the Vuelta a Asturias that starts with a hill climb between Oviedo and Alto de Naranco. Last year Indurain won two stages; the time trial to Alto de Naranco and the mountain-top finish in Alto del Acebo but that was only enough for third place after Beat Zberg and Inigo Cuesta.

108 riders from 12 teams will participate and the main opposition will come from the Once-team with Mikel Zarrabeitia, Oliverio Rincon and local favourite Marcelino Garcia Alonso, and from Kelme-Artiach with Fernando Escartin, Francisco Cabello and Marcos Serrano.

Six stages - 853 km:

Stage 1  Oviedo - Alto de Naranco         5,8 km (ITT)
Stage 2  Aviles - Aviles                  166 km
Stage 3  Pravia - Villaviciosa            162 km
Stage 4  Villaviciosa - Gijon             158 km
Stage 5  Gijon - Alto del Acebo           200 km
Stage 6  Cangas del Narcea - Oviedo       161 km

The Teams and Principal Riders

BANESTO: M. Indurain, Aparicio, Gonzalez-Arrieta
ONCE: Rincon, Zarrabeitia
KELME-ARTIACH: Escartin
MX ONDA: Nieto
EUSKADI: Alarzaguena
SANTA CLARA: Gainetdinov
GEWISS-PLAYBUS: Bobrik
SAECO: Furlan
SCRIGNO-BLUE STORM: Secchiari
NURNBERG: Zemke
CANTINA-TOLLO: Di Francesco, Pozzi
W52: Blanco Villar

Stage 1 Oviedo - Alto de Naranco 5,8 km (ITT):

 1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto                12.38
 2. Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) Once          + 0.19
 3. Oliveiro Rincon (Col) Once                  + 0.26
 4. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.28
 5. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Artiach          + 0.43
 6. Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) Gewiss               + 0.46
 7. Arrieta (Spa) Banesto                       + 0.50
 8. Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.53
 9. Vincente Aparicio (Spa) Banesto             + 0.57
10. Santiago Blanco (Spa) Banesto               + 1.02.

Stage 2, Aviles--Aviles 164km, May 15

 1. Mariano Moreda (Sp, Kelme-Artiach) 		164km in 4.23.05
 2. Stefano Dante (It, Cantina Tollo)
 3. Simone Biasci (It, Saeco)
 4. David Exteberria (Sp, ONCE)
 5. ????? Weismann (Ger, Team Nurnberg)
 6. ?????? Smetanine (Rus, Santa Clara)
 7. Jose Luis Arrieta (Sp, Banesto)
 8. Paolo Fornaciari (It, Saeco)
 9. Fernando Escartin (Sp, Kelme-Artiach)
10. Guiseppe Petito (It, Cantina Tollo) and the peloton, all s.t.

Overall:

 1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto              4.36.32
 2. Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) Once          + 0.19
 3. Oliveiro Rincon (Col) Once                  + 0.26
 4. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.28
 5. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Artiach          + 0.43
 6. Vladislav Bobrik (Rus, Gewiss-Playbus) 	+ 0.46
 7.Jose Luis  Arrieta (Sp, Banesto) 		+ 0.50
 8. Jose Luis Rubiera (Sp, Kelme-Artiach) 	+ 0.53
 9. Vicente Aparicio (Sp, Banesto) 		+ 0.57
10. Santiago Blanco (Sp, Banesto) 		+ 1.02

Stage 3 Pravia - Villaviciosa 162 km:

 1. David Etxebarria (Spa) Once                4.28.10
 2. Simone Biasci (Ita) Saeco
 3. Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Saeco
 4. Stefano Dante (Ita) Cantina Tollo         all s.t.
 5. Alessio Barbagli (Ita) Scrigno              + 0.02

Overall:

 1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto              9.04.44
 2. Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) Once          + 0.21
 3. Oliveiro Rincon (Col) Once                  + 0.28
 4. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.30
 5. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Artiach          + 0.45
 6. Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) Gewiss               + 0.48

Stage 4 Villaviciosa - Gijon 158 km:

 1. Alvaro Galdeano (Spa) Euskadi             3.46.35
 2. Simone Bisaci (Ita) Saeco                  + 0.09
 3. Sergei Smetanine (Rus) Santa Clara
 4. Sauro Gallorini (Ita) Scrigno
 5. Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Saeco
 6. Giuseppe Petito (It, Cantina Tollo)
 7. Mariano Moreda (Sp, Kelme-Artiach)
 8. Massimo Appollonio (It, Scrigno-Blue Storm)
 9. Jose Antonio Espinosa (Sp, MX Onda)
10. A. Da Silva (Port, W52 Paredes)  		all s.t.

Overall:

 1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto             12.51.28
 2. Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) Once          + 0.21
 3. Oliveiro Rincon (Col) Once                  + 0.28
 4. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.30
 5. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Artiach          + 0.45
 6. Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) Gewiss               + 0.48
 7. Jose Luis Arrieta (Sp, Banesto) 		+ 0.52
 8. Vicente Aparico (Sp, Banesto)  		+ 0.59
 9. Santiago Blanco (Sp, Banesto)  		+ 1.04
10. Alberto Lopez (Sp, Euskadi)  		+ 1.08

Stage 4 Report

The race was punctuated by violent downpours of rain which made things difficult on the narrow roads. Banesto had to chase to protect Indurain's race lead when Vladislav Bobrik escaped for 80km, building alead of 2.40. Having caught him the Banesto laid down the tempo in the last of the three cols of the day, the Alto de Infanzon, but Galdeano was able to slip clear 10km from the finish for his second win in five years as a pro.

Stage 5, Gijon - Alto del Acebo 200 km:

 1. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Cantina Tollo
 2. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach         s.t.
 3. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto               + 0.17
 4. Marcelino Garcia (Sp, ONCE)  		+ 0.31
 5. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Sp, ONCE)  		+ 1.09
 6. Marcos Serrano (Sp, Kelme)  	          s.t.
 7. Santiago Blanco (Sp, Banesto)  		+ 2.51
 8. Cesar Solaun (Sp, Euskadi)  		+ 3.08
 9. Jose Luis Arrieta (Sp, Banesto)  		+ 4.55
10. David Etxebarria (Sp, ONCE) 		+ 5.46

NOTE: Asturias; Escartin was first over the finish line but the jury gave
Gentili the win after the Italian had put in a protest claiming that
Escartin had used his elbow to obstruct him in the sprint.

Overall:

 1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto             18.28.20
 2. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.13
 3. Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) Once          + 0.35
 4. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Cantina Tollo    + 0.52
 5. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Once                + 2.08
 6. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Artiach          + 3.19

Stage 5 Report

With three Cols to climb, one hors categorie, two cat 1, this stage was the major test of Indurain, with Escartin reckoned the major challenge. Escartin attacked several times on the last climb, the Col d'Acebo and shook off Indurain who was nevertheless able to limit his losses. "I've still a bit of weight to lose," said Indurain, "and in long clims, it's normal that riders who weigh 15 kilos less make me suffer. But I'm feeling better and better despite the rain and the cold." Escartin crossed the line first, but was demoted to second place for having obstructed Gentili in the last bend.

Stage 6, Cangas del Narcea - Oviedo 161 km:

 1. Simone Biasci (Ita) Saeco                  3.38.05
 2. Alessio Barbagli (Ita) Scrigno
 3. David Etxebarria (Spa) Once
 4. Sauro Gallorini (Ita) Scrigno
 5. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) Banesto
 6. Dario Bottaro (Ita) Gewiss                 
 >
 8. Miguel Indurain (Sp, Banesto)  and the pel,   s.t.

Final overall:

 1. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto             22.26.25
 2. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Artiach       + 0.13
 3. Marcelino Garcia Alonso (Spa) Once          + 0.35
 4. Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Cantina Tollo    + 0.52
 5. Mikel Zarrabeitia (Spa) Once                + 2.08
 6. Santiago Blanco Gil (Spa) Banesto           + 3.38
 7. Serrano  					+ 3.45
 8. Solaun  					+ 4.34
 9. Arrieta  		     			+ 5.30
10. Etxebarria  	      			+ 7.01