61st Vuelta Ciclista a la Comunidad Valenciana - 2.3

Spain, February 25-March 1, 2003

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Stage 1 - February 25: San Vicent Del Raspeig ITT, 9.7 km

Frigo comes in from the cold

Dario Frigo
Photo: © AFP

Italian cyclist Dario Frigo has claimed his first victory in the Fassa Bortolo jersey since he was sacked from the team during the Giro in 2001. The peroxide blond time trial specialist won today's opening leg of the Vuelta Ciclista a Valencia, a 9.7 kilometre time trial in San Vincent del Raspeig. Frigo averaged 50.881 km/h to record a time of 10'58 for the flat course, beating last year's Valencia champion Alex Zülle (Team Coast) by 5 seconds, and ONCE's Rene Andrle by 6 seconds.

The stage was run in windy and slightly wet conditions, but as the parcours was not overly technical, high speeds could still be achieved. As his name implies, Frigo is a rider who prefers cold conditions and today suited him down to the ground. He was also more fortunate than some of the other riders, as it had stopped raining when he sot off on his ride. That enabled him to break the ONCE deadlock, whose best performed rider, Rene Andrle held the best time for quite some time.

As it turned out, ONCE finished with six riders in the top 15 - a testament to the team's incredible depth in this discipline. However, whether they have the strength to challenge Frigo or Alex Zülle in the mountains during this race remains to be seen.

Zülle has won this race twice and is keen to repeat his victory from last year. His Coast teammate Daniel Becke finished in 6th position today, and will be an important part of the Swiss rider's assault on the leader's yellow jersey in the coming days.

Another good performance came from Cofidis' David Millar, who in only his second race of the season recorded a top five placing against the clock, also his speciality.

Tomorrow's second stage of the Vuelta Valencia takes place from (Xorret del Catí) Castalla to Vila-Joiosa, and contains the Cat. 1 climbs of Alto de Tudons (at 42 and 126 km) and the Cat. 2 climb of Alto de Confrides (at 112 km).

Photography

Images by Mike Papageorge/www.masadelante.com

Milazena-MSS's new Orbea rig in black and green.
Hometown boy Aitor Gonzalez, making the hometown crowd happy.
Quick-Step Davitamon TT Bike.
A member of the Zebra train waiting for the arrival of the Lion King.
A Rabobank rider warms up.
Front fork on the iBanesto Pinarello.
Front fork on the iBanesto Pinarello.
The Kelme boys warm up in front of many friends and family.
A ride fit for a King.
A ride fit for a King.
Quick-Step Davitamon warming up in a garage entrance.
The sign says nothing about 'not cycling'.
A Fassa-Bartolo rider warms up in the plaza of an apartment complex.
Members of the Zebra train making the locals happy.
The World Road Champion snuck out the bus quietly...
... grabbed his bike and rode off before anyone really noticed.
Danilo Hondo (Telekom) shows off the colours of German champion.
The bright orange of a Euskaltel rider lights up the finish straight.
Mario Cipollini warms up before the fans.
Danilo Hondo (Telekom) comes into the finish.
Third place finisher Rene Andrle of ONCE-Eroski tries to make up time.

Results

1 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bartolo                       10.58 (50.881 km/h)
2 Alex Zuelle (Swi) Team Coast                           0.05
3 Rene Andrle (Cze) ONCE-Eroski                          0.06
4 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                         0.07
5 David Millar (GBr) Cofidis                             0.08
6 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Coast                          0.10
7 Angel Vicioso (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                        0.13
8 Alvaro Gonzalez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                      0.14
9 David Bernabeu (Spa) Milaneza-MSS                      0.15
10 Javier Pas.Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
11 David Cañada (Spa) Quick Step-Davitamon               0.18
12 Rafael Diaz (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                         0.19
13 Xavier Florencio (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                    0.20
14 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Fassa Bartolo                    0.22
15 Jan Hruska (Cze) ONCE-Eroski                          0.23
16 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bartolo               0.24
17 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) iBanesto.com
18 Thomas Liese (Ger) Team Coast                         0.25
19 Robert Hayles (GBr) Cofidis
20 Marco Velo (Ita) Fassa Bartolo                        0.27
21 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
22 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems
23 Massimiliano Lelli (Ita) Cofidis                      0.28
24 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
25 Cadel Evans (Aus) Telekom
26 Guido Trentin (Ita) Cofidis                           0.30
27 Ruben Plaza (Spa) iBanesto.com
28 Alexandre Moos (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems           0.31
29 Jose Luis Martinez (Spa) Paternina-Costa Almeria
30 Alberto Contador (Spa) ONCE-Eroski
31 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
32 Igor Astarloa (Spa) Saeco
33 Gorka Arrizabalaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi            0.32
34 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cofidis                            0.33
35 Juan Fuentes (Spa) Saeco                              0.34
36 Andreas Kloden (Ger) Telekom                          0.35
37 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
38 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank
39 Javier Pas. Rodriguez (Spa) iBanesto.com              0.36
40 Francisco Perez (Spa) Milaneza-MSS
41 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca          0.37
42 Rui Miguel Sousa (Por) Milaneza-MSS
43 Rafael Casero (Spa) Paternina-Costa Almeria
44 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) Rabobank
45 Jon Odriozola (Spa) iBanesto.com                      0.38
46 Ivan Ramiro Parra (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca
47 Antonio Colom (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla              0.39
48 Angelo Lopeboselli (Ita) Cofidis
49 Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank
50 Iker Camaño (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
51 Iñigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
52 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Quick Step-Davitamon
53 M. Martin Perdiguero (Spa) Domina Vacanze-Elitron     0.40
54 Alexandr Shefer (Kaz) Saeco
55 Francisco Cabello (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
56 Kurt Van De Wouwer (Bel) Quick Step-Davitamon
57 Jose Antonio Lopez (Spa) iBanesto.com
58 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Telekom                    0.41
59 Thorwald Veneberg (Ned) Rabobank
60 Nacor Burgos (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla               0.42
61 Benot Salmon (Fra) Phonak Hearing Systems
62 Bobby Julich (USA) Telekom
63 Rafael Mateos (Spa) iBanesto.com                      0.43
64 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco
65 Marc Lotz (Ned) Rabobank
66 David Latasa (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
67 Jose Manuel Maestre (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla        0.45
68 Ricardo Serrano (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque            0.46
69 Jose Cayetano Julia (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
70 Hector Guerra (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla
71 Patrik Sinkewitz (Ger) Quick Step-Davitamon
72 Ivan Herrero (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque               0.47
73 Jose Manuel Vazquez (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla
74 Mario Scirea (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron             0.48
75 Raphael Schweda (Ger) Team Coast
76 Domenico Passuello (Ita) Quick Step-Davitamon
77 Aitor Kintana (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque
78 Oscar Laguna (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla
79 Gonzalo Bayarri (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems          0.49
80 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bartolo                  0.51
81 Andre Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis                           0.52
82 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom                            0.53
83 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Team Coast
84 Gustavo M. Toledo (Arg) Paternina-Costa Almeria
85 Juan Jose De Los Angeles (Spa) Fassa Bartolo
86 Dermot Nally (Irl) Paternina-Costa Almeria            0.55
87 Juan Miguel Cuenca (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
88 Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick Step-Davitamon           0.57
89 Pedro Diaz Lobato (Spa) Paternina-Costa Almeria
90 Bingen Fernandez (Spa) Cofidis                        0.58
91 Rui Lavarinhas (Por) Milaneza-MSS
92 German Nieto (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla
93 Angel Luis Casero (Spa) Team Coast
94 Marco Fertonani (Ita) Phonak Hearing Systems
95 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick Step-Davitamon
96 Sven Montgomery (Swi) Fassa Bartolo
97 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron
98 Roberto Laiseka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi               0.59
99 Piotr Wadecki (Pol) Quick Step-Davitamon
100 Luis Perez (Spa) Team Coast                          1.01
101 Stefan Kupfernagel (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems
102 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank
103 Gorka Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
104 Leandro Navarrete (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque
105 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco                       1.02
106 Mario Aerts (Bel) Telekom                            1.03
107 Francisco Palacios (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque        1.07
108 Addy Engels (Ned) Rabobank                           1.08
109 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Saeco                           1.09
110 Eladio Jimenez (Spa) iBanesto.com
111 Dionisio Galparsoro (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi          1.12
112 Joseba Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
113 Joaquim Lopez (Spa) Paternina-Costa Almeria          1.13
114 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Telekom
115 Julen Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
116 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
117 Joan Horrach (Spa) Milaneza-MSS                      1.14
118 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) iBanesto.com                     1.15
119 Carlos Carneiro (Por) Milaneza-MSS                   1.17
120 Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza-MSS
121 Ivan Quaranta (Ita) Saeco
122 Guido Trenti (USA) Fassa Bartolo                     1.19
123 Jose Antonio Garrido (Spa) Paternina-Costa Almeria   1.22
124 Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron       1.25
125 Jose Miguel Elias (Spa) Colchon Relax-Fuenla         1.28
126 David Muñoz (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca                 1.32
127 Aitor Garmendia (Spa) Team Coast                     1.34
128 Massimo Strazzer (Ita) Phonak Hearing Systems        1.37
129 Gustavo Miguel Otero (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque
130 Jorge Ferrio (Spa) Paternina-Costa Almeria           1.38
131 Francisco J. Cerezo (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque       1.42
132 Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Telekom                    1.48
133 Jose Javier Gomez (Spa) Labarca 2-Cafe Baque         1.59
134 Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco                           2.15
135 Gabriele Colombo (Ita) Domina Vacanze-Elitron        2.16
136 Lizuarte Martins (Por) Milaneza-MSS                  2.41

Points

1 Dario Frigo (Ita) Fassa Bartolo                          25 pts
2 Alex Zuelle (Swi) Team Coast                             20
3 Rene Andrle (Cze) ONCE-Eroski                            16
4 Jorg Jaksche (Ger) ONCE-Eroski                           14
5 David Millar (GBr) Cofidis                               12
6 Daniel Becke (Ger) Team Coast                            10
7 Angel Vicioso (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                           9
8 Alvaro Gonzalez (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                         8
9 David Bernabeu (Spa) Milaneza-MSS                         7
10 Javier Pas.Llorente (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca             6
11 David Cañada (Spa) Quick Step-Davitamon                  5
12 Rafael Diaz (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                            4
13 Xavier Florencio (Spa) ONCE-Eroski                       3
14 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Fassa Bartolo                       2
15 Jan Hruska (Cze) ONCE-Eroski                             1

Teams

1 ONCE-Eroski                                           33.20
2 Team Coast                                             0.14
3 Fassa Bartolo                                          0.20
4 Cofidis                                                0.35
5 Milaneza-MSS                                           1.02
6 iBanesto.com                                           1.04
7 Kelme-Costa Blanca
8 Domina Vacanze-Elitron                                 1.08
9 Phonak Hearing Systems                                 1.11
10 Quick Step-Davitamon
11 Rabobank                                              1.13
12 Telekom                                               1.18
13 Saeco                                                 1.19
14 Paternina-Costa Almeria                               1.35
15 Colchon Relax-Fuenlabrada                             1.40
16 Euskaltel-Euskadi                                     1.44
17 Labarca 2-Cafe Baque                                  1.55