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Giro finale
Photo ©: Bettini

 UCI codes explained

59th Circuito De Getxo - Memorial Ricardo Otxoa - 1.3

Spain, July 31, 2004

2003 Results    Results    Past Winners

Gert Vanderaerden backs himself to take the txapela in Getxo

By Martin Hardie in Getxo

Gert Vanderaerden (Mr.Bookmaker.Com)
Photo ©: Oskar Matxin

Mr Bookmaker's Gert Vanderaerden backed himself to slip away from his breakaway companions a little over 1 kilometre from the finish, and held them off with 5 seconds to spare in todays's traditional circuit of Getxo on the outskirts of the Basque capital of Bilbao.

The finish and the first kilometre of the route followed the tourist wharves and the beach at Getxo which today was full of tanned and not-so-tanned bodies taking advantage of the sweltering conditions. By the time the race made its way around the 16.85 km circuit for the third time and started the short but steep climb away from the beach, more than half of the race was already looking like they missed the boat as a group of about 40 riders made the ascent ahead of the peloton already holding a gap of over 2'30.

The peloton in action
Photo ©: Oskar Matxin

The front group had a fair representation from all the teams and included names such as eventual winner Vanderaerden, one of the Spanish season's most attacking riders, Saunier's Constantino Zaballa, Aitor Osa, Allan Davis, Gorka González, Alberto Martínez, Isidro Nozal, last weekend's winner, David Herrero, Kelme's Alejandro Valverde and Juan Carlos Domínguez (Saunier Duval). The peloton appeared to be putting in a chase when the gap swelled to over 3'30, but by the seventh of the 11 laps they had started to drag it back. That was the highpoint of the chase and those left behind realized that their day was going to be better spent checking out the assortment of bodies covered and uncovered on display along the side of the road and the beach.

With three laps to go, the front of the race started to become a little animated with repeated moves gaining advantages here and there, some at times of the 15 second type others not so large. As they climbed out from the beach Ruben Plaza and Allan Davis were driving a front group up the steep little crest. They had a gap back to what were their companions, led by Plaza's teammate, Alejandro Valverde of 1'03. The gap back to the rest was over 5 minutes already.

Constantino Zaballa and Gert Vanderaerden
Photo ©: Oskar Matxin

Plaza and Davis managed to get away during the course of the penultimate lap and got to that magical 15 second mark before being dragged back and neutralised with less than 20 km to go. As they came through the straight it had split again with Gorka Gonzalez and Gert Vanderaerden amongst a group of about seven holding an 11 second advantage over the bunch of 20 or so.

Over the climb for the last time, the front broke up a little more and there were between 10-15 riders in contention. with 6 km to go, that group split leaving five ahead. The front group of Zaballa, Ardila, Aitor Osa, Rudenko and Vanderaerden managed to create for themselves a 15 second buffer (were all watches set to 15 seconds today?). And it was Vanderaerden who made the turn and dipped down into the finishing straight first after jumping his rivals some 500 metres earlier. He managed to hold his advantage on the chasers to have time to sit up and revel in the glory of his first win of the season.

The remainder of the front half of the race rolled in over the next eight and a half minutes. Those that had been left to enjoy themselves in the sun, missing the break early in the race, rolled in some 13 minutes later. Amongst them, dressed in bright yellow and looking happy with himself was Saunier Duval's newest signing Joseba Beloki. Beloki told us later that he was happy with his ride, comfortable in his new surroundings and looking forward to getting in shape for September's Vuelta a España.

Photography

Images by Oskar Matxin

Results - 185.3 km

1 Gert Vanderaerden (Bel) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-Palmans                  4.06.43 (45.08 km/h)
2 Constantino Zaballa Gutiérrez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir              0.05
3 Javier Pascual Rodríguez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                         
4 Maxim Rudenko (Ukr) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf                      
5 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros                               
6 Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto                          
7 Mauricio Albert Ardila Cano (Col) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf        
8 Joaquim Lopez Torrella (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina               0.17
9 Moisés Dueñas Nevado (Spa) Relax-Bodysol                              0.22
10 Rubén Plaza Molina (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                          0.40
11 Nacor Burgos Rojo (Spa) Relax-Bodysol                                    
12 Allan Davis (Aus) Liberty Seguros                                        
13 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management Srl             
14 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf                     
15 Andoni Aranaga Azkune (Spa) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf             
16 Angel Castresana Del Val (Spa) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-PalmansPalmans          
17 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management Srl              
18 Mikel Gaztañaga (Spa) Cafés Baqué                                        
19 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto                        
20 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                      
21 Gorka González Larrañaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                         
22 Iñaki Isasi Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                               
23 Jokin Ormaetxea (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                         
24 Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                      
25 José Alberto Martínez Trinidad (Spa) Relax-Bodysol                       
26 Francisco Palacios San Emeterio (Spa) Cafés Baqué                        
27 José Antonio López Gil (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto                   0.51
28 Isidro Nozal Vega (Spa) Liberty Seguros                              2.07
29 Alvaro Glez. De Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros                       8.33
30 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf               
31 Ben Day (Aus) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-PalmansPalmans                           
32 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                          
33 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) Relax-Bodysol                               
34 Jon Del Rio (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                             
35 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                  
36 Christophe Stevens (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wincor-Nixdorf                
37 Lorenzo Cardellini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                    
38 Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Liberty Seguros                          
39 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros                                   
40 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                     
41 Juan Carlos Domínguez Domínguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir               
42 Mikel Artetxe Gezuraga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           

Outside time limit

TC Javier Ramírez Abeja (Spa) Liberty Seguros                         13.06
TC Joaquín Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                     
TC Jonathan González Rios (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                 
TC Rafael Diaz Justo (Spa) Liberty Seguros                                 
TC Ricardo Serrano González (Spa) Cafés Baqué                              
TC Jesús Hernández Blázquez (Spa) Liberty Seguros                          
TC Fernando Torres Martín (Spa) Cafés Baqué                                
TC Unai Elorriaga Zubiaur (Spa) Cafés Baqué                                
TC Joseba Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir                     
TC Josep Jufré Pou (Spa) Relax-Bodysol                                     
TC José Luis Rebollo Aguado (Spa) Relax-Bodysol                            
TC Alberto López De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                         
TC Koldo Fernández Larrea (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                          
TC Jens Renders (Bel) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-PalmansPalmans                     
TC Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                        
TC Dioni Galparsoro Martínez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                       
TC Pedro Díaz Lobato (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                      
TC Mikel Elgezabal Fernández (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina              
TC Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-PalmansPalmans                    
TC Roberto Laiseka Jaio (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                            
TC David López García (Spa) Cafés Baqué                                    
TC Aritz Arruti Basterretxea (Spa) Cafés Baqué                             
TC Daniele Masolino (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management Srl              
TC Aitor Silloniz Aresti (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                           
TC Aitor Hernández Gutiérrez (Spa) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management Srl     
TC Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-PalmansPalmans               
TC Luca Nardello (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacenza Management Srl                 
TC Lander Euba Ziarrusta (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                  
TC Peter Wuyts (Bel) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-PalmansPalmans                      
DNF Miguel Angel Martín Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prod                 
DNF Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                          
DNF Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                        
DNF Geert Verheyen (Bel) Chocolade Jacques Wi                               
DNF Elio Aggiano (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacen                                   
DNF David Navas Chica (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto                           
DNF David Latasa Lasa (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                              
DNF Isaac Gálvez López (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto                          
DNF Koldo Gil Pérez (Spa) Liberty Seguros                                   
DNF Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears-Banesto                            
DNF Claudio Astolfi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                      
DNF Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Ukr) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                     
DNF Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                    
DNF Carlos García Quesada (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                          
DNF José Iván Gutiérrez Palacios (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto                
DNF Pedro Arreitunandia Quintero (Spa) Cafés Baqué                          
DNF Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Cafés Baqué                                   
DNF Jorge García Marín (Spa) Cafés Baqué                                    
DNF Dermot Nally (Irl) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                           
DNF Aketza Peña (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi                                     
DNF Claudio Lucchini (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacen                               
DNF Crescenzo D´Amore (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo                    
DNF Ivan Degasperi (Ita) Team L.P.R.-Piacen                                 
DNF Zbigniew Piatek (Pol) Chocolade Jacques Wi                              
DNF Javier Pérez Pereira (Spa) Costa De Almeria-Paternina                   
DNF Roger Hammond (GBr) Mr. Bookmaker.Com-Palmans                           

Past winners

2003 

1 Roberto Lozano Montero (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca  185 kms in 4.07.38 (44.897 km/h)
2 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 
3 Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 

2002 

1 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems      185 kms in 4.09.22 (44.597 km/h)
2 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Itera
3 Jan Hruska (Cze) Once - Eroski

2001

1 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Alessio               175 kms in 3.58.59 (43.936 km/h)
2 Francisco Cabello (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
3 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Domo-Farm Frites

2000

1 Cesar Garcia Calvo (Spa) Fuenlabrada             183 kms in 4.10.25 
2 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Alessio
3 Rafael Diaz (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank

1999

1 Jesper Skibby (Den) Home-Jack & Jones            188.4 kms in 4.22.52
2 Michel Lafis (Swe) TVM-Farm Frites
3 Paco Mancebo (Spa) Banesto

1998

1 Marcel Wust (Ger) Festina	                       188.4 kms in 4.25.17
2 Jeremy Hunt (GB) Banesto
3 Oscar Freire (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros

1997    

1 Jeremy Hunt (GB)                       188.4 kms in 4.32.36 (41.467)
2 Angel Edo (Spa)
3 Sergej Smetanine (Rus)

1996    

1 Arsenio Gonzalez (Spa)                 187 kms in 4.10.55 (44.716)
2 Sergej Smetanine (Rus)
3 Angel Edo (Spa)

1995    

1 Mika Hietanen (Fin)                    200 kms in 4.23.49 (45.577)
2 Manuel Fernandez-Gines (Spa)
3 Christian Henn (Ger)

1994    

1 Orlando Rodriguez (Por)                200.4 kms in 4.34.14
2 Juan-Carlos Gonzalez (Spa)
3 José Rodriguez (Spa)

1993 

No race

1992    

1 Mathieu Hermans (Ned)                  174 kms in 3.54.47
2 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
3 Mario Manzoni (Ita)

1991    

1 Adri Van der Poel (Ned)                174 kms in 3.54.25
2 Johnny Weltz (Den)
3 J.-C. Gonzales-Salvador (Spa)

1990    

1 Victor Gonzalo (Spa)                   174 kms in 3.59.47
2 Alfonso Guttierez (Spa)
3 Jean-Pierre Heynderickx (Bel)

1989 

1 John Talen (Ned)                       175 kms in 3.58.48
2 Edwin Bafcop (Bel)
3 Casimiro Moreda (Spa)

Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com