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59th Vuelta a España - GT
Spain, September 4-26, 2004
Main Page Live report Results Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 17 - September 22: Plasencia - Estación de Esquí La Covatilla (Béjar), 170 km
Epa! Que Chebere - Cardenas crowns Covatilla
By Martin Hardie in Covatilla
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The Plan Colombia of Durango based team Cafes Baque came good today on the road to the ascent of the ski station of Covatilla, high above the home town of Roberto Heras. Today the persistence of the peloton's more modest outfits paid off when its experienced Colombian climber Felix Cardenas crested the mountain first to take the stage. It is the third stage Cardenas has won in La Vuelta, with previous victories last year on Sierra Nevada and in 2000 at La Molina. He also has to his credit a Tour stage win in 2001 at Aix Les Thermes.
Cyclingnews spoke to Felix Cardenas after the stage and he told us that, "I am very happy because it has been especially difficult. I wasn't in the right condition prior to La Vuelta because 15 days before I fractured an arm and had to have it operated on. The doctors put in four screws, but I have recovered and with hope and will, things have turned out well. The victory is important also because we want this team, this project, to continue and it is also very important for my country and for my family.
"I attacked with seven kilometres to go where the ramps of 10 percent become very tough. The aim was to win a stage, but we will now defend this [mountains] jersey as well".
The victory of Cardenas was timely. Whilst other teams with budgets immeasurably much grander than Baque's fight it out to gain entry to the new UCI super league, the Colombian-Basque connection is fighting for its very survival. A few years ago, many a Spanish pro director continually scouted the Baque amateur line up in order to secure some of the best and brightest youngsters on their way up. Presently Iban Mayo is probably the most notable rider that has passed through Baque's ranks and into the pro peloton. But the pro teams could never take all of Baque's jewels, there have been just too many promising kids coming through. So as ex-Euskaltel rider Erkaitz Elkoroiribe looked towards life after racing, he commenced the process of transforming the team from not only an amateur squad but to having its own pro outfit as well.
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Erkaitz explained to Cyclingnews that, "We got into the idea of having a professional team as an opening for the talented amateur riders in our part of the Basque Country, as many have serious problems in finding opportunities in the highest category. The initial idea was for Baque to back the team for two years and after that time hope to have consolidated the position. We were thinking that if the team went well, other co-sponsors would join Baque. Unfortunately we haven't got a co-sponsor big enough to help us, and without one the team probably won't be able to continue.
"Cafes Baque is a small family company based in Durango in the Basque company, amongst other things they import coffee from Colombia. They don't have the economic muscle to back a pro team forever without the collaboration of other sponsors and although the team has a number of smaller co-sponsors they are not sufficient for the team to continue without more".
Last year, the team made up of young inexperienced local riders started, like its sponsor, importing from Colombia. It is in many ways a likely union. Both countries have a strong following for cycling, and cycling has throughout the modern history of both played its role in galvanising their peoples. The Basques and the Colombians also have in common an attacking style full of flair. The union paid off in last year's Vuelta with Felix Cardenas taking the stage to Sierra Nevada and the mountains jersey in Madrid. With a reinforced lineup for this year's race Erkaitz hoped that a victory here or there and a strong showing by the team might help attract some more financial backers.
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With all of this weight on their collective shoulders the Baque boys haven't been laying low. La Vuelta has seen many a breakaway this year and for a change a few have succeeded. The Baque boys have made every break so far in the race bar two, and amongst them Felix Cardenas has been prominent in going out on the road in search of mountain points - a little a la Virenque. Since the first day in the mountains, on the road to Aitana, Felix has been in the hunt. Mancebo has got in his way, Fernandez and Ferrio from Paternina have made things messy at times, Heras has picked up a few points of course and Santi Perez just won't stop finishing in the front on those mountain stages. So today Felix had to start again. He was at the start of the day 29 points behind the official mountain jersey leader, Roberto Heras.
How it unfolded
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In the first kilometre of today's stage, Felix Cardenas got himself into a break that formed quickly and rolled away even quicker. The group comprised a few other good escapees: Constantino Zaballa (Saunier Duval), Volodimir Gustov (Fassa Bortolo), Tadej Valjavec (Phonak), José Luis Arrieta (Illes Balears) and Alberto Lopez De Munain (Euskaltel). It was surprising because the peloton was moving pretty fast at the time and at later stages set a fairly hectic rhythm. The gap grew and got up to about 8'30 at its peak. It was more than enough for Cardenas to take the points on the first two Cat. 1's, Piornal and the Honduras along with the Cat. 3 Cerro. These 32 points had him in the lead. The problem was that Liberty Seguros, who led the peloton behind, set a mighty rhythm up the narrow bare face of the Honduras. The road was barely a Humvee wide and the blue train of Saiz and Co. commenced to really turn the screws on Valverde, who suffered in the absolute tail of the peloton.
For a while, the Liberty onslaught made it look impossible for the Cardenas group to survive, but by the top of the Honduras, Valverde had reinserted himself in a more respectable position fixed to the rear wheel of Heras. Over the next climb, the Cat. 3 Cerro, Cardenas upped the pace. It wasn't the easiest Cat. 3 around as Caruso led the Liberty machine climbing in the little ring. This time though Saiz gave the order to conserve forces and instead of spending more than one of his riders, allowed the young Italian to keep the rhythm high but not blistering. The change of pace by Liberty gave the escapees some more room to move and another chance of survival. Cardenas achieved his third object of the day. The points were not huge, only 6 for crossing a Cat.3 first, but every little bit helped.
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Down into Bejar the country really changed. Gone were the outback plains of Extremadura, the hills and valleys appeared here a little greener. Not verdant green but with enough green mixed up with the yellow and brown to make it feel like you are no longer passing through an eternal drought. The climb to Covatilla started immediately on the edges of Bejar. Just before it, at the meta volante, the Cardenas group had managed to roll their gap out again to close to five minutes. With 18 kilometres of climbing staring them in the face, it was still not a good bet that they might arrive in front. Certainly if they did, it would not be together.
Cardenas attacked where La Covatilla really started to kick in after 11 kilometres of climbing and with seven left. No-one who was left, and by that time it was only Arrieta and Valjavec, could follow and Cardenas went, mostly out of the saddle, in his 39/12 until the false flat at the top. He crossed the line 29 seconds ahead of Santi Perez, but that was another story.
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Perez of course had been in the peloton with the stated intention of following the wheel of Heras all day. For a lot of the day, Valverde sat behind the Liberty train; Perez sat on the wheel of Valverde and Heras behind him. Behind him was Mancebo. As the final climb got under way, the peloton numbered about 30 units. The first real move was made by Carlos Sastre (CSC) who made a quick gap as they had a little under 10 km to go. Liberty's Baranowski set the pace in pursuit. As the road steepened he let Serrano take over the job, Serrano did so well on one ugly ramp he managed to lose Nozal, his teammate. Serrano halved the peloton with this furious pull and by the seven km to go banner, Sastre was neutralised. His day done.
Paternina's Paco Lara then attacked. The group was now no more than eight. Serrano dragged them to up to Lara and then Heras jumped. He had to on his home turf and with only five seconds buffering him from Valverde, he had to test Valverde today, especially after the way he had suffered on the Honduras.
Heras flew, but guess what? Santi Perez followed him with ease. Ahead, 1'50-odd was Cardenas, still climbing in 39/12. Behind, Valverde couldn't follow, he was in crisis and around him Mancebo and Luis Perez looked to see what would pass. Mancebo left him and set off in pursuit of Heras and Santi P. The gaps widened. Garcia Quesada did his best to animate Valverde and help him set a rhythm with which to chase. Valverde just couldn't get it going. He was wasted but had to do all he could to minimise the damage.
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With three kilometres left, Heras and Perez had created a huge hole, Valverde was 2'10 back, Cardenas was 1'01 ahead. Mancebo chased 20 seconds behind Heras. Across a false flat Santi Perez sat on, then as the road kicked up to one of the climb's steeper ramps he jumped. He started to run down the seconds between him and Cardenas. With one kilometres to go, Cardenas was safe with a 41 second gap, but Heras was all body, flailing his arms and shoulders over the bike. He didn't look like a superb climber as he suffered to try and limit the damage caused by Perez.
He did and he didn't is probably the best you can say of the effort of Heras. He made big inroads into Valverde, but lost 32 seconds to Santi Perez, who a few days ago we never even looked at. Then we said maybe he can make the podium, and now he has shaved nearly 30% of Heras's advantage in 3 km and jumped up the GC again to stand in second place.
With three days left of steady climbing, with a few real beasts among them, Heras needs a good minute buffer to feel comfortable next Sunday morning in Madrid. Santi Perez is on fire. Liberty does all the work and when it is time, he follows or leads and continually picks up the profits. Mancebo and Valverde are separated by a second but are now a long way back from Heras. It is not over for either of them, they have fight and one moment of suffering, like today's for Valverde, or Sunday's for Heras could change all that in a blink of an eye.
Tomorrow's four climbs, the last a Cat. 2 at 20 kilometres from the finish and with a nice little kick in the final kilometre will provide another opportunity to shake up the field. Four more days to Madrid, things continue to change and still nothing is certain.
Photography
Images by Unipublic
- A tale of two Pacos: Paco Mancebo (L) and Paco Cabello compare injuries
- The peloton exits Plasencia
- Felix Cardenas (Cafes Baque) leads Arrieta and the early breakaway group
- Tadej Valjavec (Phonak) takes the first intermediate sprint at km km 19
- CSC leads the peloton early on
- Jan Hruska sets the pace in the peloton for Liberty
- When the going gets tough, Liberty gets going
- Cardenas working hard to keep the break alive
- Jose Luis Arrieta (Illes Balears) was one of the strongest in the break
- Cardenas and Arrieta on the front, with Valjavec in tow
- Giampaolo Caruso was one of Liberty's hard workers
- It's still over six minutes according to the time keeper
- Volodomir Gustov (Fassa Bortolo) was dropped by the break, but found some giant company
- Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros) in the middle of the Liberty coccoon
- Arrieta and Cardenas go for it
- Santi Perez (Phonak) leads Heras on the final climb
- Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros) struggles home for third place behind Cardenas and Perez
- Alejandro Valverde (Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme) really hurt today
- Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros) couldn't match Santi Perez
- Felix Cardenas (Cafes Baque) wins the stage in Covatilla
- Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros) effectively increased his grip on the jersey
Results
1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 4.52.08 (34.87 km/h) 2 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.29 3 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1.01 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 1.15 5 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 2.05 6 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 2.18 7 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 8 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 9 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 2.45 10 Miguel A. M. Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 3.03 11 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 3.06 12 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 3.11 13 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 14 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 15 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 16 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros 17 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 18 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 19 Ivan Parra (Col) Cafes Baque 4.06 20 David Plaza (Spa) Cafes Baque 21 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 4.08 22 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 23 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 4.26 24 Unai Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 5.07 25 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 26 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 5.25 27 David Blanco (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 5.27 28 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 6.17 29 Joan Horrach (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 6.31 30 Joaquin Lopez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 31 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Team CSC 6.43 32 José Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 7.32 33 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Lampre 34 Francisco Garcia (Spa) Cafes Baque 7.34 35 Hernan Buenahora (Col) Cafes Baque 36 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 37 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8.04 38 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 39 Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) Liberty Seguros 8.07 40 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 8.27 41 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 10.36 42 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance 43 Rafael Casero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 15.36 44 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 45 Jose Antonio Pecharroman (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 46 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 47 Klaus Möller (Den) Alessio-Bianchi 48 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 49 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team 50 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 51 David Herrero (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 16.26 52 David Latasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 53 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 54 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 16.53 55 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco 19.26 56 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 20.02 57 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 20.21 58 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 21.42 59 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 22.00 60 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Relax-Bergasol 22.02 61 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 22.18 62 Marius Sabaliauskas (Ltu) Saeco 22.20 63 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 23.35 64 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco 24.20 65 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 66 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi 24.27 67 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 24.39 68 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank 25.59 69 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems 70 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 71 Josep Jufre (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 72 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio-Bianchi 73 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 74 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 75 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick.Step-Davitamon 76 Antonio Colom (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 77 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 78 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 79 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Team CSC 80 Jan Hruska (Cze) Liberty Seguros 81 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Lampre 82 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Rabobank 83 Cadel Evans (Aus) T-Mobile Team 84 Mauro Gerosa (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 85 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 86 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 87 Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Alessio-Bianchi 88 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 89 Benoit Joachim (Lux) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 27.58 90 Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick.Step-Davitamon 28.26 91 Marco Milesi (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 28.47 92 Julián Sanchez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 28.48 93 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 94 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Saeco 95 José Garrido (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 96 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Saeco 31.52 97 Mikel Pradera (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 98 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 99 Francisco Cabello (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 100 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 101 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 102 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 103 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Lampre 104 Michael Barry (Can) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 105 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Saeco 106 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Team CSC 107 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 108 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 109 Aitor Perez (Spa) Cafes Baque 110 Frank Høj (Den) Team CSC 111 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 112 Juan Fuentes (Spa) Saeco 113 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Team CSC 114 Aitor Silloniz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 115 José Julia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 116 Victor Hugo Peña (Col) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 117 Herbert Gutierrez (Col) Cafes Baque 118 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank 119 David Fernandez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 120 Iñaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 121 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 122 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 123 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 124 Rene Andrle (Cze) Liberty Seguros 125 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre 126 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco 127 Matthew White (Aus) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 128 Guido Trenti (USA) Fassa Bortolo 129 Ellis Rastelli (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi 130 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre 32.22 DNF Erki Pütsep (Est) Ag2R Prevoyance DNF Peio Arreitunandia (Spa) Cafes Baque DNF Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Fassa Bortolo DNF Jan Boven (Ned) Rabobank DNF Alberto Martinez (Spa) Relax-Bergasol DNF Nacor Burgos (Spa) Relax-Bergasol DNF Brian Vandborg (Den) Team CSC DNF David Zabriskie (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor Points 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 25 pts 2 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 20 3 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 16 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 14 5 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 12 6 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 10 7 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 9 8 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 8 9 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 7 10 Miguel A. M. Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 6 11 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 5 12 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 4 13 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 3 14 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2 15 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1 Mountains Puerto de Piornal (cat. 1) - km 53 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 16 pts 2 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 12 3 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 10 4 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8 5 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 6 6 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 4 7 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 3 8 Rene Andrle (Cze) Liberty Seguros 2 9 Jan Hruska (Cze) Liberty Seguros 1 Puerto de Honduras (cat. 1) - km 100 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 16 pts 2 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 12 3 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 10 4 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 8 5 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 6 6 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 4 7 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 3 8 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2 9 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 1 Alto de El Cerro (cat. 3) - km 131 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 6 pts 2 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 4 3 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 2 4 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1 Estación de Esquí La Covatilla (cat. Especial) - km 170 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 30 pts 2 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 25 3 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 20 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 16 5 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 12 6 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 10 7 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 8 8 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 6 9 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 4 10 Miguel A. M. Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 3 11 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2 12 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 1 Sprints 1st intermediate sprint at Tejeda de Tiétar km 19.5 1 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 4 pts 2 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2 3 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 1 2nd intermediate sprint at Hervás - km 114.8 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 4 pts 2 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 2 3 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 1 3rd intermediate sprint at Béjar - 151.6 km 1 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 4 pts 2 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 2 3 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 1 Teams 1 Costa de Almeria - Paternina 14.43.18 2 Liberty Seguros 0.29 3 Cafes Baque 1.18 4 Illes Balears - Banesto 2.39 5 Phonak Hearing Systems 4.18 6 Comunidad Valenciana - Kelme 4.35 7 Cofidis, le credit par telephone 4.44 8 Euskaltel - Euskadi 12.20 9 Saunier Duval - Prodir 20.12 10 T-Mobile Team 22.29 11 Team CSC 28.33 12 US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 32.52 13 Relax-Bodysol 41.46 14 Vini Caldirola -Nobili Rubinetterie 44.11 15 Lampre 58.29 16 Alessio - Bianchi 59.08 17 Saeco 59.12 18 Quick Step - Davitamon 1.00.40 19 Fassa Bortolo 1.04.46 20 Rabobank 1.11.03 General classification after stage 17 1 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 63.28.41 2 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.13 3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2.15 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2.16 5 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros 5.55 6 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 7.56 7 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 10.08 8 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 11.09 9 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 11.51 10 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 12.25 11 David Blanco (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 14.09 12 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 17.23 13 Marcos Serrano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 19.53 14 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 19.54 15 Miguel A. M. Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 21.50 16 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 23.05 17 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 25.38 18 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 28.16 19 Luis Pasamontes (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 29.46 20 David Plaza (Spa) Cafes Baque 31.16 21 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 32.11 22 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 32.12 23 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco 32.31 24 Unai Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 33.18 25 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Team CSC 34.55 26 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 38.17 27 Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Lampre 40.17 28 Daniel Atienza (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 41.18 29 Joan Horrach (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 43.52 30 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 44.22 31 Ivan Parra (Col) Cafes Baque 44.39 32 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 44.49 33 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 48.26 34 Hernan Buenahora (Col) Cafes Baque 49.09 35 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 49.50 36 Dariusz Baranowski (Pol) Liberty Seguros 51.38 37 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 51.46 38 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 56.15 39 José Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 58.36 40 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Relax-Bergasol 1.03.26 41 Rubén Plaza (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 1.05.49 42 Francisco Garcia (Spa) Cafes Baque 1.07.24 43 Victor Hugo Peña (Col) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 1.07.31 44 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 1.08.08 45 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Team CSC 1.10.25 46 Iñigo Chaurreau (Spa) Ag2R Prevoyance 1.10.45 47 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 1.10.57 48 Cedric Vasseur (Fra) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1.12.13 49 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 1.13.41 50 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 1.14.14 51 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.15.18 52 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.18.57 53 David Cañada (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.20.27 54 Cadel Evans (Aus) T-Mobile Team 1.21.02 55 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.22.13 56 Jose Luis Rebollo (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 1.24.16 57 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 1.27.39 58 Koldo Gil (Spa) Liberty Seguros 1.29.51 59 Jose Antonio Pecharroman (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 1.30.04 60 Benoit Joachim (Lux) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 1.30.41 61 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank 1.30.59 62 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros 1.32.10 63 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 1.33.03 64 Stephan Schreck (Ger) T-Mobile Team 1.33.24 65 Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 1.34.40 66 Joaquin Lopez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 1.35.55 67 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Saeco 1.36.44 68 Josep Jufre (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 1.37.52 69 David Latasa (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 1.39.22 70 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 1.39.47 71 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank 1.41.32 72 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi 1.41.46 73 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1.44.20 74 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Rabobank 1.44.53 75 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 1.46.26 76 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1.47.33 77 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick.Step-Davitamon 1.50.53 78 Alessandro Cortinovis (Ita) Lampre 1.51.45 79 David Herrero (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 1.52.02 80 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 1.54.04 81 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.54.12 82 Roberto Sgambelluri (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 1.55.15 83 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Saeco 1.55.52 84 Klaus Möller (Den) Alessio-Bianchi 1.56.21 85 Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Team CSC 1.56.23 86 Iñaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.57.27 87 Aitor Perez (Spa) Cafes Baque 1.57.52 88 Rafael Casero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2.01.12 89 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Alessio-Bianchi 2.03.03 90 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 2.03.58 91 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 2.04.47 92 Michael Barry (Can) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 2.09.47 93 Marius Sabaliauskas (Ltu) Saeco 2.11.11 94 Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick.Step-Davitamon 2.11.46 95 Juan Fuentes (Spa) Saeco 2.12.03 96 David Fernandez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 2.13.31 97 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco 2.15.26 98 Antonio Colom (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2.16.14 99 Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) Alessio-Bianchi 2.16.37 100 José Garrido (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 2.17.21 101 Mikel Pradera (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2.23.29 102 José Julia (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2.26.43 103 Francisco Cabello (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2.28.07 104 Jan Hruska (Cze) Liberty Seguros 2.28.43 105 Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) Liberty Seguros 2.29.12 106 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems 2.29.42 107 Mauro Gerosa (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 2.29.54 108 Volodymir Gustov (Ukr) Fassa Bortolo 2.29.56 109 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Lampre 2.31.07 110 Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick.Step-Davitamon 2.31.47 111 Maarten Den Bakker (Ned) Rabobank 2.31.57 112 Marco Milesi (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 2.34.09 113 Joost Posthuma (Ned) Rabobank 2.35.07 114 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.39.48 115 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Team CSC 2.40.10 116 Dario Andriotto (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 2.41.25 117 José Garcia Acosta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 2.44.14 118 Herbert Gutierrez (Col) Cafes Baque 2.45.38 119 Rene Andrle (Cze) Liberty Seguros 2.49.28 120 Julián Sanchez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 2.51.57 121 Frank Høj (Den) Team CSC 2.52.14 122 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) Lampre 2.56.58 123 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Saeco 2.57.00 124 Daniele Righi (Ita) Lampre 3.00.33 125 Guido Trenti (USA) Fassa Bortolo 3.04.25 126 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.07.23 127 Paolo Fornaciari (Ita) Saeco 3.09.33 128 Ellis Rastelli (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi 3.10.02 129 Aitor Silloniz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 3.14.26 130 Matthew White (Aus) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 3.19.04 Points classification 1 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 148 pts 2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 128 3 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 113 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 99 5 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 92 6 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros 76 7 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 57 8 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 52 9 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 51 10 Pedro Horrillo (Spa) Quick.Step-Davitamon 51 11 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 44 12 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi 43 13 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 43 14 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 43 15 Antonio Cruz (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 42 16 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 41 17 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 41 18 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 40 19 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 38 20 Miguel A. M. Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 37 21 Victor Hugo Peña (Col) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 36 22 David Fernandez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 33 23 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 30 24 Benoit Joachim (Lux) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 29 25 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 28 Mountains classification 1 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 126 pts 2 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 107 3 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 102 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 90 5 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 67 6 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 50 7 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 42 8 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 42 9 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros 40 10 David Fernandez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 35 11 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 35 12 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 34 13 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 32 14 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 32 15 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 31 16 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 29 17 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 28 18 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 28 19 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 23 20 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Lampre 20 21 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 19 22 Unai Osa (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 19 23 Pablo Lastras (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 17 24 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 17 25 Alberto Lopez De Munain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 17 Combined classification 1 Roberto Heras (Spa) Liberty Seguros 6 pts 2 Santiago Perez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 10 3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 10 4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Banesto 12 5 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Liberty Seguros 20 6 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 32 7 Angel Gomez (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 33 8 Luis Perez (Spa) Cofidis, le credit par Telephone 44 9 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 50 10 Felix Cardenas (Col) Cafes Baque 50 11 Manuel Beltran (Spa) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 52 12 Francisco José Lara (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almeria 52 13 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 53 14 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 54 15 Carlos Garcia Quesada (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 55 16 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 58 17 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 66 18 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie 69 19 Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Fassa Bortolo 79 20 Miguel A. M. Perdiguero (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 80 21 David Blanco (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 85 22 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 90 23 Erik Zabel (Ger) T-Mobile Team 90 24 José Miguel Elias (Spa) Relax-Bergasol 91 25 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 98 Teams classification 1 Comunidad Valenciana - Kelme 190.33.31 2 Liberty Seguros 16.28 3 Illes Balears - Banesto 24.37 4 Costa de Almeria - Paternina 34.19 5 Phonak Hearing Systems 41.52 6 Cafes Baque 52.58 7 US Postal Service p/b Berry Floor 1.06.53 8 Saunier Duval - Prodir 1.18.29 9 Team CSC 1.23.29 10 Cofidis, le credit par telephone 1.23.57 11 Relax-Bodysol 2.09.35 12 Euskaltel - Euskadi 2.21.21 13 Saeco 2.27.02 14 T-Mobile Team 2.30.22 15 Vini Caldirola -Nobili Rubinetterie 3.39.12 16 Fassa Bortolo 3.42.49 17 Rabobank 3.49.28 18 Quick Step - Davitamon 3.54.06 19 Lampre 4.23.35 20 Alessio - Bianchi 5.01.20
