Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Mt Hood Classic Photo ©: Swift |
Euskal Bizikleta - 2.1
Spain, June 2-6, 2004
Stage 1 - June 2: Eibar - Karrantza, 164.4 km
First blood to Perdiguero
By Martin Hardie in Karrantza
|
Saunier Duval's Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero proved himself yet again to be the fastest finisher in a small group when he took the victory in a exciting final rush for the line in the tiny Bizkaian village of Karrantza today. Perdi came through the right hand corner 200 metres from the end in first position and was never challenged in the final metres to the line. Liberty's Angel Vicioso was second and Euskaltel's Samuel Sanchez third. Perdiguero takes the race leader's blue jersey while Vini Caldirola's neo pro Luca Celli holds the sprint and mountains categories. The selection caused by the final climb of the day, the Ubal, has set the Bizikleta up for a showdown between Liberty Seguros, Saunier Duval and Euskaltel Euskadi.
How it unfolded
The morning started early for riders from five teams when they were awoken by the UCI vampires for their health checks. Relax, Euskaltel, Kelme, Liberty and Cafes Baque were all visited before 7:00 am and the news was not bright for the two local squads. David Etxebarria (Euskaltel Euskadi), Alberto Hierro and Unai Elorriaga (Cafes Baque) were all sidelined for having too high hematocrits and were unable to start for health reasons.
David was not having a lot of luck. His predictions were a little wary as well, telling us the day before that the race favourite was Baque's Felix Cardenas. Cardenas unfortunately was not feeling too well in the morning with a gastric virus causing him some discomfort. It wasn't surprising then that in Eibar this morning their were a few grim faces to be seen. But one thing David had said may well prove to be on the money - that today's stage and Saturday's time trial could well settle the race.
Before the departure home town hero Igor Astarloa was the centre of attention as his neighbours, young and old gathered round to wish him well and to catch up on the news. At the same time the TV cameras seemed to be camped outside the La Boulangère bus, which unlike the others was firmly closed up. Holed up inside was Joseba Beloki, facing what today could prove to be a more than important encounter. The word has been that Beloki little by little is coming good and should not be discounted, despite his poor showing during the season so far.
The starting town of Eibar, and home of the Bizikleta, is the historical centre of the Basque Country's ancient iron industry of which even Shakespeare had a word to say, and it is nestled in a thin steep valley, seemingly no wider than 500 metres as it terraces up the surrounding slopes. The only way out is up. And up is where Vini Caldirola's neo pro Luca Celli decided to go when he climbed away from the peloton on the first Cat. 3 of the day only a few kilometres along the valley floor from the start. By the second climb of the day at Artexabalgane (Cat. 3 falling at 46.9 kms) he had built himself up a tidy lead. Second over the climb, leading the peloton 8 minutes 30 behind was Igor Astarloa.
As the race passed the Garate, site of last Sunday's excitement in the G.P. Llodio, and headed on to the San Kosme, the work of Gorka Gonzalez (Euskaltel Euskadi) on the front of the peloton was steadily eating into young Celli's lead. Notably over the Garate Cardenas was having trouble keeping the rhythm. The gap was 4'17.
Three Euskaltels were doing the work, Gonzalez the lion's share, shadowed all the way by La Boulangère and Liberty who - so head honcho Manolo Saiz told Cyclingnews during the stage - were not going to work until they decided they needed to. Roberto Heras told Cyclingnews yesterday that this was his first main encounter of the season and that we shouldn't read anything into his recent results - this would be the first one we should take note of when judging his progress towards the Tour.
The race pattern was changed slightly heading into Guenes at about 105 kms as Txema de Olmo (Maia) followed by three others sprinted off the front to look for some Meta Volantes points. As they crossed the intermediate line, Celli's advantage was down to 2'37 and falling. He was already on the testing drag of the Umaran. At the top back in the peloton his teammate Paolo Longo moved ahead to secure the second place points in the mountains category, but after 110 kms Celli had lost himself more time - his advantage 1'09.
The chase was never in desperation, steady and sure and in the continuously climbing roads through Sopuerta to the beginning of La Escrita, Boulangère came to Euskaltel's assistance. With brother Gorka sharing the workload Joseba Beloki positioned himself three of four riders from the head. By the time the race reached the incline towards La Escrita, Celli was all but neutralised. His job of getting enough points to take the early lead in the mountains and sprints jersey achieved. Joseba Zubeldia, Unai Etxebarria and Gorka Gonzalez reeled him in and made the capture right at the foot of the climb.
Over the 6 or so kilometres of La Escrita, a few moves were made to try and gain the advantage before the finale on the Ubal. Astarloa and Fassa's Tom Danielson were notable protagonists. But behind Cardenas was really starting to feel the pinch. At the bottom he had lost three minutes on the peloton which, despite the efforts of many, was basically still intact as it passed through the finishing town of Karrantza for the finishing 18 kilometre loop over and down the Ubal.
And then it came. Ubal. Luiz Perez was the first to make his move as soon as the puerto commenced, rapidly pulling out 8 seconds over the now Liberty headed bunch. And now as it seemed Liberty had decided it was time to work, things quickly started to fracture. It was not long before we saw Gorka Beloki and Igor Astarloa amongst a string of others withering out the back. Within the next kilometre or so it was the turn of Angel Vicioso to try and surge across to Perez. He caught and quickly passed the Cofidis rider.
Halfway into the climb there is a sort of false flat of about a 5-6% grade before it kicks up again - here the race had at its head a lone group of nine, led by Roberto Heras and Haimar Zubeldia. Heras turned it on and for a while shed them all, save Zubeldia and the everlasting ever-ready Saunier twins - Piepoli and Perdiguero. As Heras peeled off, unable to dislodge the others, some of those who he had unglued stuck themselves back onto the wheels. Samuel Sanchez came through and gave it a whirl. He was followed by Koldo Gil. The lead group was six, two Euskaltels, two Libertys and two Sauniers. There was a group of seven behind, and further back, stretched down the slopes, the remains of the day.
Joseba Beloki was not getting the ride he needed today and it was at this halfway point up Ubal that he seemed to be losing touch with anyone who had a chance of staying in touch. Meanwhile Laiseka joined the leaders, with Eladio Jimenez (Kelme) who immediately attacked. Laiseka assumed his duties at the head of the group which continued searching for the wheel of the Kelme rider, behind him was Heras, marked constantly by Zubeldia. The group with three kilometres left to climb and about twelve to the finish was four Libertys (Heras, Serrano, Gil and Vicioso), three Euskaltels (Zubeldia, Sanchez and Laiseka), two Sauniers (Perdi and Piepoli), Maia's Txema de Olmo, Perez of Cofidis, Alberto Martinez of Relax, and Baque's Peio Arreitunandia.
Jimenez was still ahead, with a gap of about ten seconds, but not for long, as the continuous attempts to force the pace by Piepoli and Laiseka caused him to be neutralised. The two old guys did it again, Piepoli and Laiseka picked it up, followed by Gil, the group split right apart and Heras and Zubeldia were forced to follow on to the wheels of the three. Heras then picked up the pace and Perdi and Peio Arreitunandia got back into the fold. But not one of them could cause the fracture to dislodge the others, with every acceleration, every feint, there was a lull which brought it back again to being a group - but one that was 14, then 13 and now 12 or even 11.
Flying Sammy Sanchez (Euskaltel) was the next to give it a go, but he again was marked by Gil, as they passed through a little furrow just before the summit, Sammy sat up. The group again, this time without Arreitunandia. The group crowned the Ubal 21 seconds ahead of Arreitunandia, 42 seconds to the next group and 55 to the group of Didier Rous and Aitor Gonzalez.
Downhill to the finish, 8 kilometres. A tight right hander as the road bends back on itself and guess who takes the lead as they drop down the mountain, Sanchez of course! But marked all the way by Vicioso. The two of them went. With 5 km to go they had nearly ten seconds, at 4 km there was a 180 degree turn and at 3 km Perdi hooked up, causing Sanchez to stop pedaling. He realised that again a victory may not be his with these two men always dangerous in a small group sprint.
Perez arrived and at 2 km to go the group of 12 were all together again. Sanchez went to the back, protected by Laiseka (a lead out man?) who was on Vicioso's wheel. In the final kilometre, Zubeldia was on the front, then Laiseka dragged Sanchez towards the front of the group and down the left hand side of the road. Everyone knew that Vicioso and Perdi are dead 'certs' in this sort of encounter. Two hundred metres to go, the road turned right and Perdi was first through the corner, followed by Vicioso and Sanchez and that's how it ended: Perdiguero, Vicioso and Sanchez followed by the rest of the group. Jimenez was a little way down the road and then a big empty space.
The first selection in the Bizikleta has been made. And it is a tidy one which sets up three strong teams all capable of fighting it out to the end - Liberty, Saunier and Euskaltel.
Photography
Images by AFP Photo
- Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Saunier Duval) beats Angel Vicioso (Liberty Seguros) to win the first stage of the Euskal Bizikleta.
Images by Martin Hardie/Cyclingnews.com
- Joseba Beloki (Brioches la Boulangere) played down his chances
- Euskaltel team director Julian Gorospe was grim at the start in Eibar
- Martin Hardie checks out the meat market
- Roberto Laiseka (Euskaltel) after a hard day at the office
- The packed streets at the start in Eibar
- Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel) interviewed before the start
- Luca Celli (Vini Caldirola) won the metas volantes and mountains jerseys today
Results
1 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 4.15.13 2 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Liberty Seguros 3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 5 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 6 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 7 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 9 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 10 Txema Del Olmo (Spa) Milaneza Maia 11 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 12 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 13 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 0.13 14 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.53 15 Michele Scotto (Ita) Lampre 16 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 17 Peio Arreitunandia (Spa) Cafes Baque 18 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 0.59 19 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 20 David Latasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 21 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 22 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 23 Didier Rous (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 24 Ion Del Rio (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 1.55 25 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre 26 Mikel Elgezabal (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 27 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 28 Aitor Perez (Spa) Cafes Baque 29 Mikel Pradera (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 30 Hugo Sabido (Por) Milaneza Maia 31 Joaquin Lopez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 32 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre 33 Francisco Palacio (Spa) Cafes Baque 34 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Liberty Seguros 35 Lander Euba (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 36 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 37 Ivan Parra (Col) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 38 Hernan Buenahora (Col) Cafes Baque 39 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 2.29 40 Peter Farazjin (Bel) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 41 Lizuarte Manuel Martins (Por) Milaneza Maia 42 Rafael Casero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 43 Bruno Pires (Por) Milaneza Maia 44 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 3.07 45 Mauro Santanbrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 3.47 46 Jonathan Gonzalez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 47 Tom Danielson (USA) Fassa Bortolo 48 Aitor Hernandez (Spa) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 49 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 50 Julián Sanchez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 51 Gustavo Dominguez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 52 Mauro Facci (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 53 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 54 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 55 Gerhard Trampusch (Aut) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 4.42 56 Aitor Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 4.55 57 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 58 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre 5.48 59 Hector Guerra (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 60 Renato Silva (Por) Milaneza Maia 61 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 62 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre 63 Alvaro Glez. Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 64 René Andrle (Cze) Liberty Seguros 65 Unai Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 66 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Lampre 67 Paulo Barroso (Por) Milaneza Maia 68 Jokin Ormaetxea (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 69 Javier Ramirez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 70 Jon Odriozola (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 71 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 72 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 73 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 74 Paolo Longo (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 75 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 76 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 77 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 78 Unai Yus (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 7.16 79 Joseba Beloki (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 7.17 80 Marco Gili (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 8.41 81 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 9.30 82 Giulio Tomi (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 83 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 84 Roberto Petito (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 85 Ruben Lobato (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 86 Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 87 Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza Maia 88 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 89 Luca Nardello (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 90 Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 91 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre 92 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 93 Luis Perez Romero (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 94 Ivan Mayoz (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 95 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 96 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 97 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 98 Marco Cavallari (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 99 Elio Aggiano (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 100 David Herrero (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 101 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Lampre 11.59 102 Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 103 Jose Antonio Lopez Gil (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 104 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 12.14 105 Claudio Astolfi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 106 Claudio Lucchini (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 107 Alessandro D'andrea (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 108 Daniele Masolino (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 109 Joseba Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 110 Christophe Kern (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 12.56 111 Gorka Beloki (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 112 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 13.25 113 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 114 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 14.07 DNF Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo DNS David Etxebarria (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi DNS Unai Elorriaga (Spa) Cafes Baque DNS Alberto Hierro (Spa) Cafes Baque Points 1 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 25 pts 2 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Liberty Seguros 20 3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 16 4 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 14 5 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 12 6 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 10 7 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 9 8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8 9 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 7 10 Txema Del Olmo (Spa) Milaneza Maia 6 11 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 5 12 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4 13 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3 14 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2 15 Michele Scotto (Ita) Lampre 1 Mountains Areitio, km 5 3 1 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Lampre 3 pts 2 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 1 Aretxabalgane, km 47 3 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1 Garate, km 87 3 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1 San Kosme, km 101 3 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Paolo Longo (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1 Umaran, km 111 3 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Paolo Longo (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1 La Escrita, km 139 3 1 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 3 pts 2 Alvaro Glez. Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 Ubal - Cat. 1, km 155 1 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 10 pts 2 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8 3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 6 4 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 4 5 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 2 Metas volantes Larrabetxu, km 52,2 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Hugo Sabido (Por) Milaneza Maia 2 3 Mauro Santanbrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 1 Gueñes, km 106,6 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 3 pts 2 Hugo Sabido (Por) Milaneza Maia 2 3 Giulio Tomi (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1 Teams 1 Liberty Seguros 12.45.39 2 Euskaltel - Euskadi 3 Saunier Duval - Prodir 0.59 4 Cofidis, le credit par telephone 2.48 5 Kelme - Comunidad Valenciana 3.07 6 Milaneza - Maia 4.24 7 Lampre 4.43 8 Cafes Baque 9 Costa de Almeria - Paternina 4.49 10 Illes Balears - Banesto 6.35 11 Fassa Bortolo 8.33 12 Brioches La Boulangere 9.16 13 Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 9.28 14 Relax-Bodysol 9.35 15 Team L.P.R. Piacenza 13.22 16 Vini Caldirola 16.24 General classification after stage 1 1 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 4.15.13 2 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Liberty Seguros 3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 5 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 6 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 7 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 9 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 10 Txema Del Olmo (Spa) Milaneza Maia 11 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 12 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 13 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 0.13 14 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 0.53 15 Michele Scotto (Ita) Lampre 16 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 17 Peio Arreitunandia (Spa) Cafes Baque 18 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 0.59 19 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 20 David Latasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 21 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 22 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 23 Didier Rous (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 24 Ion Del Rio (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 1.55 25 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Lampre 26 Mikel Elgezabal (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 27 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 28 Aitor Perez (Spa) Cafes Baque 29 Mikel Pradera (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 30 Hugo Sabido (Por) Milaneza Maia 31 Joaquin Lopez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 32 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Lampre 33 Francisco Palacio (Spa) Cafes Baque 34 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Liberty Seguros 35 Lander Euba (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 36 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 37 Ivan Parra (Col) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 38 Hernan Buenahora (Col) Cafes Baque 39 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 2.29 40 Peter Farazjin (Bel) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 41 Lizuarte Manuel Martins (Por) Milaneza Maia 42 Rafael Casero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 43 Bruno Pires (Por) Milaneza Maia 44 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 3.07 45 Mauro Santanbrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 3.47 46 Jonathan Gonzalez (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 47 Tom Danielson (USA) Fassa Bortolo 48 Aitor Hernandez (Spa) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 49 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 50 Julián Sanchez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 51 Gustavo Dominguez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 52 Mauro Facci (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 53 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 54 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 55 Gerhard Trampusch (Aut) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 4.42 56 Aitor Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 4.55 57 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 58 Simone Bertoletti (Ita) Lampre 5.48 59 Hector Guerra (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 60 Renato Silva (Por) Milaneza Maia 61 Staf Scheirlinckx (Bel) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 62 Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre 63 Alvaro Glez. Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 64 René Andrle (Cze) Liberty Seguros 65 Unai Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 66 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Lampre 67 Paulo Barroso (Por) Milaneza Maia 68 Jokin Ormaetxea (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 69 Javier Ramirez (Spa) Liberty Seguros 70 Jon Odriozola (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 71 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 72 Dmitri Fofonov (Kaz) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 73 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 74 Paolo Longo (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 75 Antonio Olmo (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 76 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 77 Daniele Contrini (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 78 Unai Yus (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 7.16 79 Joseba Beloki (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 7.17 80 Marco Gili (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 8.41 81 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 9.30 82 Giulio Tomi (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 83 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 84 Roberto Petito (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 85 Ruben Lobato (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 86 Gustavo Cesar (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 87 Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza Maia 88 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 89 Luca Nardello (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 90 Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 91 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre 92 David De La Fuente (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 93 Luis Perez Romero (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 94 Ivan Mayoz (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 95 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 96 Unai Etxebarria (Ven) Euskaltel-Euskadi 97 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 98 Marco Cavallari (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 99 Elio Aggiano (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 100 David Herrero (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina 101 Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Lampre 11.59 102 Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 103 Jose Antonio Lopez Gil (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 104 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 12.14 105 Claudio Astolfi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 106 Claudio Lucchini (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 107 Alessandro D'andrea (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 108 Daniele Masolino (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management SRL 109 Joseba Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 110 Christophe Kern (Fra) Brioches La Boulangere 12.56 111 Gorka Beloki (Spa) Brioches La Boulangere 112 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 13.25 113 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 114 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 14.07 Points classification 1 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 25 pts 2 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Liberty Seguros 20 3 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 16 4 Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bodysol 14 5 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 12 6 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 10 7 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 9 8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8 9 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 7 10 Txema Del Olmo (Spa) Milaneza Maia 6 11 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 5 12 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4 13 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3 14 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2 15 Michele Scotto (Ita) Lampre 1 Mountains classification 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 12 pts 2 M.A. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 10 3 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 8 4 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 6 5 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 5 6 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 4 7 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Lampre 3 8 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 2 9 Paolo Longo (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 2 10 Alvaro Glez. Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 11 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Cafes Baque 1 Metas volantes classification 1 Luca Celli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 6 pts 2 Hugo Sabido (Por) Milaneza Maia 4 3 Giulio Tomi (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1 4 Mauro Santanbrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management 1 Teams classification 1 Liberty Seguros 12.45.39 2 Euskaltel - Euskadi 3 Saunier Duval - Prodir 0.59 4 Cofidis, le credit par telephone 2.48 5 Kelme - Comunidad Valenciana 3.07 6 Milaneza - Maia 4.24 7 Lampre 4.43 8 Cafes Baque 9 Costa de Almeria - Paternina 4.49 10 Illes Balears - Banesto 6.35 11 Fassa Bortolo 8.33 12 Brioches La Boulangere 9.16 13 Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo 9.28 14 Relax-Bodysol 9.35 15 Team L.P.R. Piacenza 13.22 16 Vini Caldirola 16.24
