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27th Vuelta a Burgos - 2.HC
Spain, August 7-11, 2005
2004 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - August 7: Burgos - Medina de Pomar, 162 km
- Stage 2 - August 8: Lerma - Miranda de Ebro (San Juan del Monte), 175 km
- Stage 3 - August 9: Milagros - Aranda de Duero, 9.55 km
- Stage 4 - August 10: Vilviestre - Lag. de Neila, 159 km
- Stage 5 - August 11: Sasamón - Burgos, 168 km
Pre-Vuelta tester in Burgos
By Shane Stokes
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Spanish cycling continues its build up for this year's Vuelta a España with the start of the 2.HC ranked Vuelta a Burgos on Sunday. A total of 12 teams will line up for the five day race in the north of Spain, with Euskaltel Euskadi, Liberty Seguros-Würth, Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne, Saunier Duval-Prodir, Relax-Fuenlabrada, Comunidad Valenciana, Kaiku and Andalucia Paul Versan attracting most of the home support. Foreign teams travelling include Mr.Bookmaker-Sportstech, Barloworld Valsir, Acqua & Sapone-Adria Mobil and Tenax-Nobili Rubinetterie.
Despite the fact that the race must share the limelight with several other concurrently-running events such as the ProTour Eneco Tour of Benelux plus the 2.HC ranked Post Danmark Rundt and Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta, the Burgos Tour start list has some big names. Tour de France stage winner Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears) is down to start, the race serving to test his recovery from the knee injury which prompted his retirement from the Tour. He was utterly dominant here 12 months ago, winning the overall plus three out of the four stages.
Former Vuelta winner Aitor Gonzalez (Euskaltel) will be aiming to replicate the sparkling form which won him a stage plus the overall classification of this year's Tour of Switzerland, while his team-mate Roberto Laiseka should also be prominent on the mountain stages. Jonathan González Rios (Illes Balears) was fifth last year and may get his chance if Valverde isn't back to top form, while David Etxebarria (Liberty Seguros) can usually be counted upon to stir things up a bit. Jeremy Hunt (MrBookmaker) has shown flashes of good form lately and should figure in any bunch sprints.
The race gets underway on Sunday with a lumpy 159.63 kilometre stage from Burgos to Medina de Pomar. Starting at 880 metres in altitude, the riders pass a Meta Volante (Hot Spot) at Poza de la Sal, 39.67 kilometres into the stage, then reach the day's highest point just over 26 kilometres later when they crest the 978 metre second-category Alto del Portillo de Busto. 12 kilometres of descending takes them to the second Meta Volante, then onwards towards the third category climbs of Alto de Cereceda (106.42 kilometres, 720 metres in height) and the Alto de Bocos (138.14 km, 763 m). Another Meta Volante comes shortly before this final climb, with the riders then building up for a probable bunch finish in Medina de Pomar.
Stage two begins in Lerma and tops out at the summit of the 1400 metre third category Alto del Manquillo after just over 65 kilometres of racing. Three Meta Volantes feature, at Covarruvias (18.85 km), Pradoluengo (71.12 km) and Belorado (113.79 km), with the riders then racing on towards the third cat summit finish at Alto de San Juan del Monte after 175 kilometres in the saddle.
Day three is just 9.55 kilometres in length but although it's the shortest of the race, the gaps created in this time trial from Milagros to Aranda de Duero will start to sift out the race contenders. The general classification is then likely to be upended the following day with the hardest finish of the race, the GPM Especial (special category) climb to Lagunas de Neila coming 156.76 kilometres after the start in Vilviestre del Pinar. The peloton will face four other climbs along the way, the cat. 3 ascents of Alto de Cargadero (19.6 km, 1327.48 m), Alto de Collado (55.83 km, 1268.19 m) and Alto Arroyo (89.38 km, 1137.19 m) plus the first category Alto El Collado (136.68 km, 1382.2 m) punctuating the stage profile. Meta Volantes at Hontoria del Pinar (40.51 km), at the 61.43 km point and at Salas de los Infantes (80.39 km) will further spice things up.
That leaves just one more day to settle things, and there is certainly plenty of opportunity for attackers on this lumpy 168 kilometre stage from Queso de Samasmón to Burgos. There is just one classified climb, the third cat Alto de los Buitres coming 15.2 kilometres from the line, but before then the course detail reveals a saw-toothed, undulating profile which will encourage aggression. Meta Volantes sprints come at Villadiego (10.25 km), Melgar de Fernamental (32.91 km) and Castrojeriz (56.5 km).
Start list
Illes Balears - Caisse D'Epargne Saunier Duval - Prodir
1 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) 11 Iñigo Cuesta López (Spa)
2 Antonio Colon Mas (Spa) 12 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa)
3 Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) 13 David De La Fuente (Spa)
4 Iker Leonet Iza (Spa) 14 Juan Carlos Domínguez (Spa)
5 David Navas Chica (Spa) 15 Angel Gómez Gómez (Spa)
6 Unai Osa Eizagirre (Spa) 16 Joaquín Rodríguez Oliver (Spa)
7 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) 17 Rubén Lobato Elvira (Spa)
8 Antonio Tauler Llul (Spa) 18 Constantino Zaballa (Spa)
Mr. Bookmaker - Sports Tech Liberty Seguros - Würth Team
21 Angel Castresana Del Val (Spa) 31 Dariuzs Baranowski (Pol)
22 Klass De Gruyter (Bel) 32 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita)
23 Jeremy Hunt (GBr) 33 David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa)
24 Julien Laidoun (Fra) 34 Jesús Hernández (Spa)
25 Benjamin Day (Aus) 35 Javier Ramírez Abeja (Spa)
26 Francesco Plaudraent (Bel) 36 José A Redondo Ramos (Spa)
27 Jens Renders (Bel) 37 Daniel Navarro García (Spa)
28 Peter Wuyts (Bel) 38 Michele Scarponi (Ita)
Euskaltel - Euskadi Comunidad Valenciana
41 Joseba Albizu Lizaso (Spa) 51 Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa)
42 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) 52 Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa)
43 Aitor González Jiménez (Spa) 53 David Latasa Lasa (Spa)
44 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) 54 Javier Pascual Rodríguez (Spa)
45 Roberto Laiseka Jaio (Spa) 55 Carlos García Quesada (Spa)
46 Samuel Sánchez González (Spa) 56 David Bernabeu Armengol (Spa)
47 Beñat Albizuri Aransolo (Spa) 57 Angel Luis Casero Moreno (Spa)
48 Rubén Pérez Moreno (Spa) 58 Rubén Plaza Molina (Spa)
Relax Fuenlabrada Kaiku
61 Moisés Dueñas Nevado (Spa) 71 José A López Gil (Spa)
62 José Miguel Elías Galindo (Spa) 72 Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa)
63 Xavier Florencio Cabre (Spa) 73 Ricardo Serrano González (Spa)
64 Óscar Laguna García (Spa) 74 Rubén Oarbeascoa Ispizua (Spa)
65 Luis Pasamontes Rodríguez (Spa) 75 Adrián Palomares V. (Spa)
66 Jorge García Marín (Spa) 76 Dioni Galparsoro Martínez (Spa)
67 Luis Pérez Romero (Spa) 77 Andoni Aranaga Azkune (Spa)
68 Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) 78 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa)
Acqua & Sapone - Adria Mobil Team Barloworld - Valsir
81 Santo Anza (Ita) 91 Igor Astarloa Ascasibar (Spa)
82 Alessandro D'Andrea (Ita) 92 Roger Beuchat (Swi)
83 Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita) 93 Matteo Carrara (Ita)
84 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) 94 Stefano Cavallari (Ita)
85 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) 95 Darren Lill (RSA)
86 Kyrylo Pospyeyev (Ukr) 96 Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita)
87 Jure Zrimsek (Slo) 97 David Plaza Romero (Spa)
98 Antonio Salomone (Ita)
Tenax - Nobili Rubinetterie Andalucia - Paul Versan
101 Kristjan Fajt (Slo) 111 Jaume Rovira Pous (Spa)
102 Zoran Klemencic (Slo) 112 Carlos Castaño Panadero (Spa)
103 Dean Podgornik (Slo) 113 José Ruiz Sánchez (Spa)
105 Scott Davis (Aus) 114 Víctor M Gomes Colinas (Spa)
106 Corrado Serina (Ita) 115 Ion Del Rio Arteaga (Spa)
107 Gianluca Tonetti (Ita) 116 Francisco José Martínez (Spa)
108 Cristiano Frattini (Ita) 117 David Fernández Domingo (Spa)
118 Juan Antonio Pastor (Spa)
Past winners
2004 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme 2003 Pablo Lastras García (Spa) iBanesto.com 2002 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) iBanesto.com 2001 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) iBanesto.com 2000 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Banesto 1999 Abraham Olano (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 1998 Abraham Olano (Spa) Banesto 1997 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE 1996 Tony Rominger (Swi) Mapei 1995 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina 1994 Armand De las Cuevas (Fra) Castorama 1993 Laudelino Cubino (Spa) 1992 Alex Zülle (Swi) ONCE 1991 Pedro Delgado (Spa) Banesto 1990 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) ONCE 1989 Francisco Antequera (Spa) BH 1988 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) Caja Rural 1987 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) Orbea 1986 Marino Lejarreta (Spa) Seat Orbea 1985 José Recio (Spa) Kelme 1984 Federico Echavé (Spa) Teka 1983 Angel De las Heras (Spa) Kelme 1982 José Laguia (Spa) Ciudad Real 1981 Faustino Ruperez (Spa) Zor-Helios Novostil Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
