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51st Vuelta Asturias - 2.1
Spain, May 3-7, 2007
2006 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - May 3: Oviedo - Llanes, 150.6 km
- Stage 2 - May 4: Llanes-Avilés, 168 km
- Stage 3 - May 5: Cafés Toscaf - Alto del Acebo, 180.2 km
- Stage 4 - May 6: Cangas del Narcea - Gijón, 158 km
- Stage 5 - May 7: Gijón - Oviedo, 180.2 km
Five days, 12 mountains
By Monika Prell
The 51st Vuelta a Asturias starts today in northern Spain and will cover twelve mountains in its five stages (May 3 - 7). Today, the cyclists will face 150.6 kilometres from the capital of Asturias, Oviedo, to Llanes. The difficulties of the day are the Alto de la Tornería (2nd category) and the Alto Rales – Los Carriles. The wind could also play an important role; half of the stage will direct the peloton along the coast of the Costa Verde.
The second stage between Llanes and Avilés (168.0 km) is totally flat; only at the very beginning of the stage will the cyclists will have to cover the Alto de La Robellada (3rd category), and, so, this stage should end in a mass sprint.
The third stage will be decisive. From the Instalaciones Cafés Toscaf the peloton rides the 180.2 kilometres to the Alto de Acebo. Along the way the parcours will reveal three mountains; the Alto del Pozo de las Mujeres Muertas (1st category at 97.9 km), the Puerto del Connio (hors catégorie at 139.7 kms) and the mountain top finish on the Alto de Acebo (hors catégorie).
Stage 4 should offer some respite. The favourites should have an eye on eventual breakaway groups, as the course has got two difficulties, the Alto del Rodical (2nd category) and the Alto del Pito (3rd category). Also in this stage, from Cangas del Narcea to Gijón (158.4 km), the wind could be important, as half of the route will be along the coast.
The fifth stage on Monday, May 7, will be another back-breaker, with three mountains of the 2nd category (Alto de la Campa, Alto de La Faya de los lobos, Alto de Colladiella and Alto San Emiliano), from Gijón to Oviedo (149.8 km).
The Vuelta will consist of 16 teams, amongst them three ProTour teams (Euskaltel–Euskadi, Saunier Duval-Prodir and Unibet.com), and 123 riders. It does not only attract Spanish teams, but also foreign ones; besides Unibet.com, there will be Portuguese teams Benfica and Liberty Seguros, British team Barloworld, and the Italian teams Acqua & Sapone-Caffè Mokambo and Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Selle Italia.
The favourites are Koldo Gil (Saunier Duval-Prodir), especially after his win of the Subida al Naranco on Tuesday, and last year's winner Oscar Sevilla (Relax-GAM), who will be supported by a strong team that includes Francisco Mancebo, Santiago Pérez and Ángel Vicioso. Other important riders are Eladio Jiménez and Ezequiel Mosquera (Karpin-Galicia), David Bernabeu (Fuerteventura-Canarias) and Pablo Urtasun (Liberty Seguros), as well as the Portuguese José Azevedo (Benfica) and the Colombian Félix Rafael Cárdenas (Barloworld).
Start list
Relax - Gam Viña Magna - Cropu 1 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) 11 Luis Alvarez Martín (Spa) 2 Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 12 Jesus Tendero Marcos (Spa) 3 Santiago Perez Fernandez (Spa) 13 Diego Gallego Arnaiz (Spa) 4 Jan Hruska (Cze) 14 Victor Manuel Gomes Colinas (Spa) 5 Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Spa) 15 José Herrada Lopez (Spa) 6 Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spa) 16 Bruno Lima (Por) 7 José Miguel Elías Galindo (Spa) 17 Martin Mata Cabello (Spa) 8 Mario De Sárraga (Spa) 18 Juan José Abril Merino (Spa) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo Andalucia - Cayasur 21 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) 31 Jose Ruiz Sanchez (Spa) 22 32 Claudio José Casas Gallego (Spa) 23 Alessandro Donati (Ita) 33 José Luis Carrasco Gamiz (Spa) 24 Francesco Di Paolo (Ita) 34 Luis Perez Rodriguez (Spa) 25 35 Jorge Ferrío Luque (Spa) 26 36 Antonio Olmo Menacho (Spa) 27 Marco Cavallari (Ita) 37 Manuel Ortega Ocana (Spa) 28 Aurélien Passeron (Fra) 38 Juan Olmo Menacho (Spa) Extremadura - Spiuk Orbea - Laukiz F.T. 41 Juan Carlos Fernandez Mora (Spa) 51 Josu Agirre Aseginolaza (Spa) 42 Josu Mondelo Díaz (Spa) 52 Iker Mezo Askargorta (Spa) 43 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) 53 Joseba Zumeta Etxabe (Spa) 44 Ignacio Sarabia Diaz (Mex) 54 Ivan Melero Coco (Spa) 45 Jesús Ramírez Torres (Spa) 55 Juan Jose Oroz Ugalde (Spa) 46 Angel Rodriguez Garcia (Spa) 56 Xabat Otxotorena (Spa) 47 Pedro Romero Ocampo (Spa) 57 Aaron Villegas Trapaga (Spa) 48 Fernando Torres (Spa) 58 Julen Zubero (Spa) Unibet.com Euskaltel - Euskadi 61 Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) 71 Lander Aperribai (Spa) 62 Pieter Jacobs (Bel) 72 Iban Mayoz (Spa) 63 Gil Suray (Bel) 73 Andoni Aranaga Azkune (Spa) 64 Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) 74 Iban Iriondo Uranga (Spa) 65 Matteo Carrara (Ita) 75 Andoni Lafuente (Spa) 66 Jonas Ljungblad (Swe) 76 Unai Uribarri Artabe (Spa) 67 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) 77 68 Niels Scheuneman (Ned) 78 Inaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Grupo Nicolás Mateos Spanish National Team 81 Pablo De Pedro García (Spa) 91 Jaume Rovira Pons (Spa) 82 Javier Echarri Marín (Spa) 92 Gonzalo Zambrano (Spa) 83 Egoitz Murgoitio (Spa) 93 Oscar Pujol Muñoz (Spa) 84 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) 94 David Gutierrez Gutierrez (Spa) 85 Diego Milán Jiménez (Spa) 95 Eduardo Gonzalez Gonzalez (Spa) 86 Miguel Ochoa (Spa) 96 Pedro García Villa (Spa) 87 Vicente Peiró (Spa) 97 José Hernández Fernández (Spa) 88 Gorka Amuriza Gumucio (Spa) 98 José E. Cima Magariños (Spa) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni- Selle Italia Saunier Duval - Prodir 101 Alberto Loddo (Ita) 111 Arkaitz Durán (Spa) 102 Bruno Bertolini (Ita) 112 Alberto Fernández (Spa) 103 Denis Bertolini (Ita) 113 Javier Megías Leal (Spa) 104 Fabio Borghesi (Ita) 114 Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi (Spa) 105 Ivan Degasperi (Ita) 115 David De La Fuente (Spa) 106 Edgardo Simon (Arg) 116 Ruben Lobato (Spa) 107 Philippe Schnyder (Swi) 117 Raúl Alarcón García (Spa) 108 Mattia Turrina (Ita) 118 Koldo Gil Perez (Spa) Benfica Barloworld 121 José Antonio Pecharroman Fabian (Spa) 131 Pedro Arreitunandia Quintero (Spa) 122 Danail Petrov (Bul) 132 John-Lee Augystyn (RSA) 123 Rui Lavarinhas (Por) 133 Félix Cárdenas (Col) 124 José Azevedo (Por) 134 Ryan Cox (RSA) 125 Helder Miranda (Spa) 135 126 Hugo Sancho (Por) 136 Giampaolo Cheula (Ita) 127 Didac Ortega Ors (Spa) 137 Hugo Sabido (Por) 128 Renato Silva (Por) 138 James Lewis Perry (RSA) Karpin Galicia Fuerteventura - Canarias 141 Eladio Jiménez (Spa) 151 Eladio Sanchez Prado (Spa) 142 Gustavo Domínguez (Spa) 152 Javier Ramirez Abeja (Spa) 143 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) 153 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) 144 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa) 154 Javier Cherro Molina (Spa) 145 Gaizka Lasa Larraya (Spa) 155 David Bernabeu Armengol (Spa) 146 Ramón Troncoso (Spa) 156 Iker Flores Galarza (Spa) 147 David Abal Diego (Spa) 157 David Muñoz (Spa) 148 Marcos A. Serrano (Spa) 158 Rodrigo García Rena (Spa) Liberty Seguros 161 Nuno Ribeiro (Por) 162 Hernani Broco (Por) 163 Filipe Cardoso (Por) 164 Antonio Jesús (Por) 165 Carlos Nozal Vega (Spa) 166 Jordi Grau Sogas (Por) 167 Rui Miguel Sousa Barbosa (Por) 168 Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa)
Past winners
2006 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) T-Mobile Team 2005 Adolfo García Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana 2004 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2003 Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 2002 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) iBanesto.com 2001 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) iBanesto.com 2000 Joseba Beloki (Spa) Festina 1999 Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 1998 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE 1997 Manuel Fernandez-Gines (Spa) 1996 Miguel Indurain (Spa) 1995 Beat Zberg (Swi) 1994 Abraham Olano (Spa) 1993 Erik Breukink (Ned) 1992 Alex Zülle (Swi) 1991 Pjotr Ugrumow (Let) 1990 Raul Alcala (Mex) 1989 Gert-Jan Theunisse (Ned) 1988 Rolf Gölz (Ger) 1987 Inaki Gaston (Spa) 1986 J. Rodriguez Magro (Spa) 1985 Jesus Blanco-Villar (Spa) 1984 Faustino Ruperez (Spa) 1983 Pedro Munoz (Spa) 1982 Jesus Ibanez (Spa) 1981 Angel Arroyo (Spa) 1980 Faustino Ruperez (Spa) 1979 A. Fernandez-Blanco (Spa) 1978 E. Martinez-Heredia (Spa) 1977 Vicente Lopez-Carril (Spa) 1976 Santiago Lazcano (Spa) 1975 Miguel-Maria Lasa (Spa) 1974 Sentisteban (Spa) 1973 Jesus Manzaneque (Spa) 1972 Augustine Tamames (Spa) 1971 Edouardo Castello (Spa) 1970 Antonio Martos (Spa) 1969 Andres Oliva (Spa) 1968 Jesus Manzaneque (Spa) 1957 Federico Bahamontes (Spa) 1956 Hernan (Spa) 1955 Federico Bahamontes (Spa) 1954 Bernardo Ruiz (Spa) 1953 Antonio Gelabert (Spa) 1950 Miguel Gual (Spa) 1947 Emilio Rodriguez (Spa) 1928 Riccardo Mucio (Spa) 1927 Miguel Mucio (Spa) 1926 Riccardo Montero (Spa) 1925 Barruetabena (Spa) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
