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44th Vuelta al Pais Vasco - 2.HC
Spain, April 5-9, 2004
Stage 1 - April 5: Bergara - Bergara, 139 km
Valverde in front again
By Martin Hardie
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The opening stage of the 44th Vuelta a Pais Vasco came down to a small, select sprint with Alejandro Valverde (Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme) giving his squad back some good news. Valverde was in the group that caught the final breakaway of Dennis Menchov (Illes Balears) in the narrow streets of Bergara with a kilometre to go. As Danilo Di Luca (Saeco), Angel Vicioso (Liberty) and David Etxebarria (led out by Samuel Sanchez) lined up for the finish, the Valencian took off down the left hand side of the road and came in with a healthy gap over Vicioso.
Beloki out on day 1
The second Hors Categorie tour of the year commenced in Bergara in the Basque province of Guipuzkoa today. Late starters for the race were La Boulangère, with the news that Joseba Beloki would be riding. The press reported that he would be seeking to do something special for his home town of Lazkao the Itzulia's final destination later this week. But Beloki's appearance today might have for a cynic brought back memories of Cipo's visit to last year's Vuelta. The race organisers invited the French squad solely on the condition that Beloki would ride. Whether his appearance was a mere ploy or whether he is still suffering can only be judged by what happens next in the Guipuzcoan's career.
After the third categorised climb of the day, the Descarga, Beloki set off in pursuit of Jon Odriozola's attempt to bridge the gap to the day's initial break of Garcia Acosta and Voigt. He was joined in his chase by Chocolade Jacques Basque rider, Andoni Aranaga. But within a few kilometres, Beloki had pulled up and retired from the race. The non-cynic can only suggest that the testing of legs on the climb met with results that were not favourable to his health.
How it unfolded
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The day was cloudy with 16 degrees at the start in Bergara for the 168 riders taking part in the first leg breaking stage of the Euskal Herriko Txirrindulari Itzulia. The initial part of the stage headed towards the coast and the town of Deba at the mouth of the river of the same name. It was nervous and animated with seven riders representing most of the strong teams trying to get away during the early kilometres on the road to the beach. But an attentive peloton caught them quickly. Eventually Chente García Acosta (Illes Balears-Banesto) and Jens Voigt (CSC) managed to get a gap and created an advantage of 45 seconds by the 25 km mark. They were to become the rabbits of the day with the orange clad Euskaltel given the home team honours of leading the hunt.
As the race moved through the valley of the Deba River, the break managed to maintain this gap until the first ramps of the Cat 3. Itziar, which came at 31 kms (5 kms at an average gradient of 4.3%). The pace had not been easy, these are not flat roads but the first 31 kms was completed in 45 minutes at an average of around 41 km/h. García Acosta took the first mountain sprint followed by his breakaway partner Voigt. David Cioni (Fassa Bortolo) was third over the top, 30 seconds behind with the peloton mere metres behind on his wheel.
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Cioni was brought back as the descent started and the escape maintained its 30 second gap. But as they headed back inland, the pair managed to increase their advantage out to at one point to 4 minutes. It was here that Euskaltel came to the front and commenced to seriously pull the peloton. On the summit of the Elosua (km 68 km, Cat 2 - 9 kms at 5.68%) EE had reduced the deficit to 3 minutes with their ex-teammate, Lander Euba (Costa Almería-Paternina) 20 seconds ahead of the orange headed bunch. Euskaltel continued to do the lion's share at the front as they headed back to Bergara and the first sprint of the day. After Euba was reeled in, the gap started to fall gradually and stood at around 2 minutes by the time of the first sprint in outside the Zabala Jatexea (restaurant) in Bergara at the 77 km mark.
Out of Bergara, the route - which was really a tour of the Deba valley - extended towards the next climb of the Descarga which came at the 88 km mark (Cat. 3, 3.2 km at 7.25%). The two Ikers, Flores and Camano, along with Gorka Gonzalez and Unai Etxebarria dragged the bunch up the Descarga. García Acosta was first over the top and went through the large and enthusiastic crowd. But only 59 seconds behind, the orange workers continued to drag the peloton, now quietly shadowed by Cofidis and Kelme.
On the non-categorised climb that followed soon after the Descarga, Jon Odriozola (Kelme) attacked, as here the route was headed towards his home town of Oñati. Odriozola's escape managed to survive for a little while but was soon followed by the move of Beloki (yes Joseba Beloki) and Andoni Aranaga (Chocolade Jacques). This move spelled the fate of Beloki but it probably also spelled the death of the Odriozola attempt for some home town glory. Poor old Jon's go was never going to be allowed to be realised, and he only managed to survive until the outskirts of the university town. Meanwhile with Odriozola neutralised and Beloki in his director's car, Voigt and Garcia Acosta still had managed to keep their 30 second gap steady. But it was not too be for long.
On the loop out from Oñati back to the start/finish, Euskaltel had all guns firing at the front: the Etxebarrias, David and Unai, the Ikers, Flores and Camano, Mayo and Zubeldia all did their turns in helping sweep up the Voigt/Garcia break. At this point their only help had come from the odd Lampre rider. Prior to the final meta volante, a few teams pitched in, but in the end Lampre was able to take the points unchallenged, other than by the singing Bergarans in the crowd.
With the final climb of the day within sight, other teams started to crowd the front ranks of the peloton. The uncontested or unanimated sprint was probably because the teams had their eyes focussed up the road on the Asentzio, which was less than 10 kilometres away and said to be 3 kilometres long at an average of 7.33%. In reality the route started to climb immediately it left Bergara, but turned severely upwards in the final three kilometres.
Kelme, Gerolsteiner and Lampre were all prominent but it seemed to be Lampre which was the most consistent - Euskaltel all seemed to have slid back into the peloton since before the meta volante.
Igor Gonzalez Galdeano was the first to come up and start to stretch the peloton as it started the gradual ascent to the start of the Asentzio. Soon after, Saeco started to take charge, then Phonak, US Postal and Gerolsteiner. As they started the categorised climb, it was Di Luca who moved first with Rebellin chasing. David Etxebarria came past them but could not unglue them. He carried on, open mouthed, working and dragging to pull the small group. Then "Denny" Menchov (as Paul Sherwen has dubbed him) continued his Paris-Nice style of a couple of weeks back, attacking just before the summit and creating for himself a window of opportunity as he moved through the crowd lining the road. Behind him the thinning group was still headed by David.
Menchov managed an 8 second gap over the summit, followed by Rebellin, Etxebarria and Di Luca. The Russian took off down the road, and there didn't seem to be any group to speak of behind the Etxebarria group. With 5 kilometres to go Menchov had 10 seconds and by the bottom that was reduced by another two. Over the next kilometre the gap held, fluctuated and held. The chasing group seemed to grow then dwindle, and Iban Mayo was there with Samuel Sanchez and David, Igor Astarloa was present, Di Luca, Marcos Serrano and Angel Vicioso (Liberty).
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The Liberty riders took control at the front, thinking about a sprint win for Vicioso and when they reached the one kilometre kite, they swarmed through Bergara's narrow streets and all over Menchov. At the back of the capture, there was a crash - David Lopez of Cafes Baque was down.
Saeco and Liberty were fighting for the leadout while Euskaltel's Samuel Sanchez was leading out David Etxebarria. But with not that many metres to go, Alejandro Valverde took off down the left hand side of the road to win convincingly. In the end only seven riders survived to contest the final, the next group of Koldo Gil (Liberty), Jose Azevedo (US POstal) and Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) came in three seconds behind.
Photography
Images by AFP/Rafa Rivas
- Alejandro Valverde (Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme) realises he's got it in the bag
- Alejandro Valverde celebrates as he crosses the line
- Alejandro Valverde accepts the traditional podium congratulations
- Alejandro Valverde involves the crowd in some bubbly celebrations
Results
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3.25.49 2 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Liberty Seguros 3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 4 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco 5 Jorge Ferrio Luque (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 6 David Etxebarria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 7 Aitor Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 8 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 9 José Azevedo (Por) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 10 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Rabobank 11 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco 12 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 13 Marco Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 14 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 15 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 16 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 17 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto 18 Jonathan Gonzalez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 19 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 20 Inigo Cuesta (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 21 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 22 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 0.07 23 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.08 24 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 25 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 26 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 27 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile Team 28 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Team CSC 29 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner 30 Cadel Evans (Aus) T-Mobile Team 31 Javier Pascual (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 32 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 33 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Quick.Step-Davitamon 34 Andreas Kloden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 35 Alexandre Moos (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 36 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre 37 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco 38 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 39 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 40 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Lampre 41 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Team CSC 42 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco 43 Francisco Lara (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 44 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 45 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Gerolsteiner 46 José Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.46 47 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.48 48 J.Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 1.06 49 Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 50 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 51 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre 52 Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1.11 53 Frederic Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 54 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 55 Sebastien Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 56 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 57 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 58 Michael Barry (Can) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 59 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 60 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 61 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon 62 Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 63 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 64 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 65 Florent Brard (Fra) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 66 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 67 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick.Step-Davitamon 68 Michele Scotto (Ita) Lampre 69 Her Buenahora Gutierrez (Col) Cafes Baque 70 Benjamin Noval (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 71 Beat Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 72 Peio Arreitunandia (Spa) Cafes Baque 73 Unai Yus Kerejeta (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 74 Jurgen Van De Waqlle (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 75 Tom Danielson (USA) Fassa Bortolo 76 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 77 Migue Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 78 Lander Euba (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 1.17 79 Massimo Codol (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.41 80 J.Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 81 Jerome Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 82 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 83 Christian Werner (Ger) T-Mobile Team 84 Mikel Pradera (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 85 Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick.Step-Davitamon 86 Luis Perez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 87 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 88 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank 89 Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 90 Evgueni Petrov (Rus) Saeco 91 Mauro Facci (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 92 Aitor Gonzalez Jimenez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 93 Niels Scheuneman (Ned) Relax-Bodysol 94 Igor Glz. De Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 95 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 96 Gianni Faresin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 97 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spa) Liberty Seguros 98 Alex Zuelle (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 99 David Herrero (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 2.01 100 Francisco Palacio (Spa) Cafes Baque 101 David Lopez (Spa) Cafes Baque 102 Carlos Zarate (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3.19 103 Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 3.38 104 David Canada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 105 Iker Camano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4.39 106 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Rabobank 5.01 107 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 108 David Navas Chica (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 109 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC 110 Gorka Beloki (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 111 Jokin Ormaetxea (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 112 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre 113 Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 114 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 115 Dario Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 116 Jon Del Rio (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 117 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Fassa Bortolo 118 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 119 Jon Odriozola (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 120 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 121 Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 122 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 123 Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) T-Mobile Team 124 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Saeco 125 Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick.Step-Davitamon 126 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 127 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco 128 Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank 129 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 130 Marc Lotz (Ned) Rabobank 131 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 132 Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 133 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 134 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 135 Victor Hugo Pena (Col) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 136 Jose Julia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 137 Marius Sabaliauskas (Ltu) Saeco 138 Alvaro Glz. De Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8.13 139 Gonzalo Bayarri (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 140 Joaquim Lopez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 141 Efrain Gutierrez (Spa) Cafes Baque 142 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 143 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre 9.44 144 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 145 Juan Gomis (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 146 Ivan Mayoz (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 147 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre 148 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Lampre 149 Uwe Peschel (Ger) Gerolsteiner 150 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 151 Julio Lopez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 152 David Latasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 153 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 154 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 155 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 156 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 13.47 157 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 158 Francisco Gutierrez (Spa) Cafes Baque 159 Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank 160 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) Rabobank 161 Cezary Zamana (Pol) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 162 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 163 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 164 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 165 Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner 166 Christophe Stevens (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 23.38 Mountains Alto De Itziar - Cat. 3 1 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 3 pts 2 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 2 3 Dario Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1 Alto De Elosua - Cat. 2 1 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 6 pts 2 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 4 3 Lander Euba (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 2 4 Gonzalo Bayarri (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 1 Alto De Descarga - Cat. 2 1 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 6 pts 2 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 4 3 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 2 4 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 Alto De Asentzio - Cat. 2 1 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto 6 pts 2 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 4 3 David Etxebarria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2 Metas Volantes Bergara - Burdiñate, 77 km 1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 3 pts 2 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2 3 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 Bergara - M. Altuna Institutoa, 121 km 1 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre 3 pts 2 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre 2 3 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Saeco 1 Combination 1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 25 pts 2 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 20 3 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 16 4 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 14 5 Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 12 Teams 1 Liberty 10.17.33 2 Euskaltel Euskadi 3 US Postal 0.03 4 Saeco 0.05 5 Costa Almería Paternina General classification after stage 1 1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3.25.49 2 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Liberty Seguros 3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 4 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco 5 Jorge Ferrio Luque (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 6 David Etxebarria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 7 Aitor Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 8 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 9 José Azevedo (Por) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 10 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Rabobank 11 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco 12 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 13 Marco Serrano Rodriguez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 14 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 15 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 16 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 17 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto 18 Jonathan Gonzalez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 19 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 20 Inigo Cuesta (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 21 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 22 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 0.07 23 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.08 24 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 25 Carlos Garcia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 26 Tyler Hamilton (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 27 Matthias Kessler (Ger) T-Mobile Team 28 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Team CSC 29 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner 30 Cadel Evans (Aus) T-Mobile Team 31 Javier Pascual (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 32 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 33 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Quick.Step-Davitamon 34 Andreas Kloden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 35 Alexandre Moos (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 36 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre 37 Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Saeco 38 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 39 Mauricio Ardila (Col) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 40 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Lampre 41 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Team CSC 42 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco 43 Francisco Lara (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 44 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 45 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Gerolsteiner 46 José Gutierrez Palacios (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.46 47 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.48 48 J.Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 1.06 49 Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 50 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 51 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre 52 Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1.11 53 Frederic Bessy (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 54 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 55 Sebastien Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 56 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 57 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 58 Michael Barry (Can) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 59 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 60 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 61 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Quick.Step-Davitamon 62 Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 63 Nicki Sorensen (Den) Team CSC 64 Daniel Schnider (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 65 Florent Brard (Fra) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 66 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 67 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick.Step-Davitamon 68 Michele Scotto (Ita) Lampre 69 Her Buenahora Gutierrez (Col) Cafes Baque 70 Benjamin Noval (Spa) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 71 Beat Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 72 Peio Arreitunandia (Spa) Cafes Baque 73 Unai Yus Kerejeta (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 74 Jurgen Van De Waqlle (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 75 Tom Danielson (USA) Fassa Bortolo 76 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 77 Migue Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 78 Lander Euba (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 1.17 79 Massimo Codol (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.41 80 J.Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 81 Jerome Pineau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 82 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 83 Christian Werner (Ger) T-Mobile Team 84 Mikel Pradera (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 85 Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick.Step-Davitamon 86 Luis Perez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 87 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 88 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank 89 Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 90 Evgueni Petrov (Rus) Saeco 91 Mauro Facci (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 92 Aitor Gonzalez Jimenez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 93 Niels Scheuneman (Ned) Relax-Bodysol 94 Igor Glz. De Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 95 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 96 Gianni Faresin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 97 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spa) Liberty Seguros 98 Alex Zuelle (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 99 David Herrero (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 2.01 100 Francisco Palacio (Spa) Cafes Baque 101 David Lopez (Spa) Cafes Baque 102 Carlos Zarate (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3.19 103 Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 3.38 104 David Canada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 105 Iker Camano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4.39 106 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Rabobank 5.01 107 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 108 David Navas Chica (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 109 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC 110 Gorka Beloki (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 111 Jokin Ormaetxea (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 112 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre 113 Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 114 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 115 Dario Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 116 Jon Del Rio (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 117 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Fassa Bortolo 118 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 119 Jon Odriozola (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 120 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 121 Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 122 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 123 Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) T-Mobile Team 124 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Saeco 125 Michael Rogers (Aus) Quick.Step-Davitamon 126 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 127 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco 128 Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank 129 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 130 Marc Lotz (Ned) Rabobank 131 Niki Aebersold (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 132 Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 133 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 134 Laurent Lefevre (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 135 Victor Hugo Pena (Col) US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor 136 Jose Julia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 137 Marius Sabaliauskas (Ltu) Saeco 138 Alvaro Glz. De Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8.13 139 Gonzalo Bayarri (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 140 Joaquim Lopez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 141 Efrain Gutierrez (Spa) Cafes Baque 142 Adolfo Garcia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 143 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre 9.44 144 Francisco José Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 145 Juan Gomis (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 146 Ivan Mayoz (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 147 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre 148 Wladimir Belli (Ita) Lampre 149 Uwe Peschel (Ger) Gerolsteiner 150 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 151 Julio Lopez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 152 David Latasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 153 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 154 Iker Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 155 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 156 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 13.47 157 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 158 Francisco Gutierrez (Spa) Cafes Baque 159 Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank 160 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) Rabobank 161 Cezary Zamana (Pol) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 162 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 163 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 164 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 165 Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner 166 Christophe Stevens (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf 23.38 Mountains classification 1 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 15 pts 2 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 10 3 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto 6 4 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 4 5 David Etxebarria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2 Metas volantes classification 1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 3 pts 2 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre 3 3 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre 2 4 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2 5 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 Combination classification 1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 25 pts 2 Vicente Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 20 3 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 16 4 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 14 5 Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 12 Teams classification 1 Liberty 10.17.33 2 Euskaltel Euskadi 3 US Postal 0.03 4 Saeco 0.05 5 Costa Almería Paternina
