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49th Vuelta Andalucía "Ruta Ciclista del Sol" - 2.3
Spain, February 16-20, 2003
2002 Results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Stages
- Stage 1 - February 16: Córdoba - Córdoba, 179.6 km
- Stage 2 - February 17: Sevilla - Huelva, 165 km
- Stage 3 - February 18: Sevilla - Lucena, 166.6 km
- Stage 4 - February 19: Cabra - Jaén, 174.0 km
- Stage 5 - February 20: La General(Granada) - Benalmádena, 178 km
Preview
By Jeff Jones
The second Spanish race of the season after Mallorca is the Vuelta Andalucía, more commonly known as the Ruta del Sol. The five stage race that runs from Sunday, February 16 to Thursday, February 20, is expected to present a bigger challenge this year, with the inclusion of more mountains.
There are a total of 19 categorised climbs in the race, including the Cat. 1 Puerto De Trassierra in stage 1, and the Cat. 1 Alto Santuario Nuestra Señora De Araceli in stage 3. This climb will finish the stage, with a nasty 18% section near the top. The remaining stages are also dotted with Cat. 2 and Cat. 3 climbs.
That won't stop the likes of sprinters Erik Zabel (Telekom), Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r), Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Alexandre Usov (Phonak), Olaf Pollack (Gerolsteiner) and Allan Davis (ONCE) taking part, as there are enough stages for the fast men to shine, provided their teams work hard.
For the overall GC it's more open, as we haven't yet seen which of the Spanish riders have had good winter preparation. Francisco Cabello (Kelme) has to be a favourite, having finished twice second in the event, in a total of twelve participations. Last year's winner Toni Colom (Fuenlabrada) will not be back to defend his title, having suffered from pneumonia recently.
iBanesto.com's Aitor Osa, Javier Pascual Rodriguez, Juan Antonio Flecha and Leonardo Piepoli represent a solid core of climbing strength, and they should hope to do well in this early season Spanish race. And after his victory in the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, Ag2r's Mikel Astarloza can probably be pencilled in on the favourites list.
The experienced and canny Mikel Zarrabeitia leads the ONCE team, which is mainly a line up of younger riders such as Giampaolo Caruso, Allan Davis, Jonathan Gonzalez, Joaquin Rodriguez and David Arroyo.
For the foreign teams, Phonak's Juan Carlos Dominguez and Oscar Pereiro, Quick Step's Johan Museeuw and Tom Boonen, Lotto-Domo's Axel Merckx, Peter Van Petegem and Rik Verbrugghe, and Gerolsteiner's Davide Rebellin will all be part of the action.
Start list
Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada iBanesto.com 1 Santiago Blanco Gil (Spa) 11 Javier Pascual Rodríguez (Spa) 2 David Fernández Domingo (Spa) 12 José A López Gil (Spa) 3 David Navas Chica (Spa) 13 Juan A Flecha Giannoni (Spa) 4 José Luis Rebollo Aguado (Spa) 14 José Iván Gutiérrez Palacios (Spa) 5 Benjamín Noval González (Spa) 15 Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) 6 Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) 16 Rafael Mateos Pérez (Spa) 7 Héctor Guerra (Spa) 17 José L Arrieta Lujambio (Spa) 8 Luis Pasamontes Rodríguez (Spa) 18 Xabier Zandio Echaide (Spa) Team Telekom Rabobank 21 Erik Zabel (Ger) 31 Óscar Freire Gómez (Spa) 22 Rolf Aldag (Ger) 32 Remmert Wielinga (Ned) 23 Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) 33 Marc Wauters (Bel) 24 Kai Hundertmarck (Ger) 34 Steven De Jongh (Ned) 25 Bobby Julich (USA) 35 Jan Boven (Ned) 26 Andreas Klier (Ger) 36 Robert Hunter (RSA) 27 Jan Schaffrath (Ger) 37 Karsten Kroon (Ned) 28 Steffen Wesemann (Ger) 38 Robert Bartko (Ger) Coast Ag2R Prevoyance 41 Manuel Beltrán Martínez (Ger) 51 Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) 42 Francisco José Lara Ruiz (Spa) 52 Julien Laidoun (Fra) 43 Sven Teutenberg (Ger) 53 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) 44 Jaime Hernández Bertrán (Spa) 54 Iñigo Chaurreau Bernárdez (Spa) 45 Luis Pérez Rodríguez (Spa) 55 Stéphane Berges (Fra) 46 Daniel Becke (Ger) 56 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) 47 Ángel L. Casero Moreno (Spa) 57 Erki Pütsep (Est) 48 David Plaza Romero (Spa) 58 Olivier Trastour (Fra) Labarca-2 Café Baqué Euskatel-Euskadi 61 Marcelino García Alonso (Spa) 71 David Etxebarria Alkorta (Spa) 62 Francisco Cerezo Perales (Spa) 72 Iker Flores Galarza (Spa) 63 Aitor Kintana Zarate (Spa) 73 Samuel Sánchez González (Spa) 64 César García Calvo (Spa) 74 Josu Silloniz Aresti (Spa) 65 José Javier Gómez Gozalo (Spa) 75 Unai Etxebarria Arana (Ven) 66 Gustavo Otero Gómez (Spa) 76 Lander Euba Ziarrusta (Spa) 67 Unai Elorriaga Zubiaur (Spa) 77 Julen Fernández Bijandi (Spa) 68 David López García (Spa) 78 David Herrero Llorente (Spa) ONCE-Eroski Kelme-Costa Blanca 81 Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) 91 Francisco Cabello Luque (Spa) 82 Angel Castresana Del Val (Spa) 92 Carlos García Quesada (Spa) 83 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) 93 Javier Pascual Llorente (Spa) 84 Allan Davis (Aus) 94 Juan M Cuenca Martínez (Spa) 85 Koldo Gil Pérez (Spa) 95 Iván Ramiro Parra Pinto (Col) 86 Joaquin Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) 96 David Latasa Lasa (Spa) 87 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) 97 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) 88 Gorka Beloki Dorronsoro (Spa) 98 Isaac Gálvez López (Spa) Paternina-Costa De Almería Alessio 101 Juan Carlos Guillamón Ruiz (Spa) 111 Ruslan Ivanov (Mda) 102 Domingo Sánchez Segado (Spa) 112 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) 103 Rafael Casero Moreno (Spa) 113 Raffaele Ferrara (Ita) 104 Carlos Ramón Golbano García (Spa) 114 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) 105 José Luis Martínez Jiménez (Spa) 115 Denis Lunghi (Ita) 106 Gustavo Mario Toledo (Arg) 116 Cristian Moreni (Ita) 107 Xavier Tondo Volpini (Spa) 117 Andrea Noe (Ita) 108 Carlos Torrent Tarres (Spa) 118 Alberto Vinale (Ita) Phonak Hearing Systems Quick Step-Davitamon 121 Juan Carlos Domínguez Domínguez (Spa) 131 Johan Museeuw (Bel) 122 Michael Albasini (Swi) 132 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) 123 Gonzalo Bayarri Esteve (Spa) 133 Tom Boonen (Bel) 124 Óscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) 134 Pedro Horrillo Muñoz (Spa) 125 Gregory Rast (Swi) 135 Wilfried Cretskens (Bel) 126 Martin Elmiger (Swi) 136 Servais Knaven (Ned) 127 Santiago Pérez Fernández (Spa) 137 Luca Paolini (Ita) 128 Alexandre Usov (Blr) 138 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Lotto-Domo Gerolsteiner 141 Axel Merckx (Bel) 151 Rene Haselbacher (Ger) 142 Peter Van Petegem (Bel) 152 Udo Bölts (Ger) 143 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) 153 Daniele Contrini (Ita) 144 Serge Baguet (Bel) 154 Olaf Pollack (Ger) 145 Thierry Marichal (Bel) 155 Davide Rebellin (Ita) 146 Glenn d'Hollander (Bel) 156 Torsten Schmidt (Ger) 147 Hans De Clercq (Bel) 157 Peter Wrolich (Aut) 148 Leon Van Bon (Ned) 158 Volker Ordowski (Ger)
Past winners
2002 Toni Colom (Spa) 2001 Erik Dekker (Ned) 2000 Miguel Angel Peña (Spa) 1999 Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Spa) 1998 Marcelino Garcia (Spa) 1997 Erik Zabel (Ger) 1996 Neil Stephens (Aus) 1995 Stefano Della-Santa (Ita) 1994 Stefano Della-Santa (Ita) 1993 Julian Gorospe (Spa) 1992 Miguel-Angel Martinez (Spa) 1991 Roberto Lezaun (Spa) 1990 Eduardo Chozas (Spa) 1989 Fabio Bordonali (Ita) 1988 Edwig Van Hooydonck (Bel) 1987 Rolf Gölz (Ger) 1986 Steven Rooks (Ned) 1985 Rolf Gölz (Ger) 1984 Julian Gorospe (Spa) 1983 Eduardo Chozas (Spa) 1982 Marc Sergeant (Bel) 1981 Adri Schipper (Ned) 1980 Daniel Willems (Bel) 1979 Dietrich Thurau (Ger) 1977 Dietrich Thurau (Ger) 1976 Gerrie Knetemann (Ned) 1975 Freddy Maertens (Bel) 1974 Freddy Maertens (Bel) 1973 Roger Pintens (Bel) 1972 Jan Krekels (Ned) 1971 Jean-Pierre Monsére (Bel) 1970 José Gomez-Lucas (Spa) 1969 Antonio Gomez del Moral (Spa) 1968 Antoine Houbrechts (Bel) 1967 Ramon Mendiburu (Spa) 1966 Jésus Aranzabal (Spa) 1965 José Segu (Spa) 1964 Rudi Altig (Ger) 1963 Antonio Barrutia (Spa) 1962 José-Antonio Momene (Spa) 1961 Angelino Soler (Spa) 1960 Gabriel Mas (Spa) 1959 Miguel Pacheco (Spa) 1958 Gabriel Company (Spa) 1957 Hortensio Vidauretta (Spa) 1956 Miguel Bover (Spa) 1955 José Gomez del Moral (Spa) 1925 Ricardo Montero (Spa) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
