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22 September 2003

Petacchi, Valverde, Nozal and Zabel, the top “scorers” in this year’s Vuelta

Following Alejandro Valverde’s triumph on La Pandera, there are now four cyclists that have won at least two stages at this point in this year’s Vuelta, with two third’s of the route having been covered.

The Kelme-Costa Blanca rider equals the two stage victories held by German Telekom rider Erik Zabel and race leader Isidro Nozal, ONCE-Eroski. However, these three riders are still someway behind Italian Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo), who has won four stages so far.

The remaining 15 stages disputed so far have been won by the ONCE-Eroski team, Luis Pérez (Cofidis), Unai Etxebarria (Euskaltel), Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) and Joaquín Rodríguez (ONCE-Eroski).

General Classification

Well no real shock that all 5 of the top men come from the home nation. Isidro “Gurí” Nozal, keeps in command and is receiving excellent support not only from the ONCE team but also from Igor Galdeano who is riding as a true professional. The ONCE, in their last ever major Tour, are looking determined and focused to claim the prize.

Roberto Heras, in spite of his efforts on the La Pandera, is over 4 minutes back and news that his team will lose George Hincapie cannot help the Spanish Star in his quest to regain lost time.

1º 26 NOZAL, Isidro ESP ONE 50:01:40
2º 21 GLEZ. GALDEANO, Igor ESP ONE a 3:03
3º 11 HERAS, Roberto ESP USP a 4:02
4º 13 BELTRAN, Manuel ESP USP a 5:22
5º 98 VALVERDE, Alejandro ESP KEL a 6:37

Points Classification

The battle for the points jersey is very much a Germany versus Italy battle. Petacchi has the best finishing sprint in the world this year, but Zabel has the experience of the seasoned campaigner. An intriguing battle that will last until the end of the race.

1º 201 ZABEL, Erik GER TEL 134
2º 6 PETACCHI, Alessandro ITA FAS 130
3º 98 VALVERDE, Alejandro ESP KEL 109
4º 26 NOZAL, Isidro ESP ONE 92
5º 167 RASMUSSEN, Michael DEN RAB 72

Mountains Competition

His riding may not have impressed Heras on La Pandera but Felix Cardenas has all but secured the mountains jersey . A great ride through out the race for the Colombian, and very handy publicity for his small Spanish team LABARCA 2- CAFÉ BAQUÉ.

1º 102 CARDENAS, Felix COL L2C 164
2º 86 OSA, Aitor ESP BAN 106
3º 127 HORRACH, Joan ESP MIL 97
4º 98 VALVERDE, Alejandro ESP KEL 72
5º 48 PEREZ, Luis ESP COF 72

Allround Performance

Not only a double stage winner, but Team of the Paw rider Valverde is also leader of the All round performance competition. The rules of this competition are set out in Article 14 of the race rules: ...“it will be determined by adding the positions the riders get in the Individual Standings, Points overall standings and Climber Overall Standings” - few would dispute that the Kelme youngster is worthy of the blue jersey.

1º 98 VALVERDE, Alejandro ESP KEL 12
2º 26 NOZAL, Isidro ESP ONE 18
3º 102 CARDENAS, Felix COL L2C 18
4º 167 RASMUSSEN, Michael DEN RAB 20
5º 48 PEREZ, Luis ESP COF 20

Team Standings

No dispute which team reigns in Spain at the moment. Once are looking every bit as strong on the roads of Spain as they did on paper before the race. No surprise either that Banesto, Kelme and Euskatel are also in the top 5, however the Cofidis team have put in a battling display throughout the race and deserve their top 4 place.

1º Once - Eroski ONE 150:13:27
2º IBanesto.com BAN a 10:09
3º Kelme - Costa Blanca KEL a 26:01
4º Cofidis, le credit par telephone COF a 30:46
5º Euskaltel - Euskadi EUS a 37:15

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Complete List of Abandons (up to 15th stage)

Italian Saeco has seen its team reduced to three riders, with only Italian Christian Pepoli, Spaniard Juan Fuentes and Moldavian Igor Pugaci remaining in the race.

Seven teams continue in the race with all of their riders: US Postal Service, Relax-Fuenlabrada, Euskaltel-Euskadi, iBanesto.com, Kelme-Costa Blanca, Milaneza-MSS and Rabobank.

Of the 32 riders to abandon so far, 18 climbed off their bikes during stages, 6 failed to take the start and 4 have been expelled (all of them for sitting in behind their team cars), whilst another 4 arrived outside the time limit.

Italy has lost 10 riders so far, whilst Spain has lost 9.

Complete List of Abandons (up to 15th stage)

Rider- Team -Reason- Stage
Peter Farazjin (Cofidis) did not take the start of the 14th stage
Aitor González (Fassa Bortolo), abandoned on 14th stage
Angel Casero (Bianchi), did not take the start of the 13th stage
Igor Astarloa (Saeco), did not take the start of the 11th stage
José Javier Gómez (Labarca 2- Café Baqué), abandoned during the 11th stage
José Azevedo (ONCE-Eroski), abandoned during the 10th stage
Antonio Bucciero (Saeco), abandoned during the 10th stage
Sergio Pérez (Labarca 2-Café Baqué), expelled during 9th stage
Richard Virenque (Quick Step-Davitamon) expelled during the 9th stage
Alex Zulle (Phonak), abandoned during the 9th stage
Andrea Brognara (Alessio), arrived outside time limit on 8th stage
Ruslan Ivanov (Alessio), arrived outside time limit on 8th stage
Franck Schleck (CSC), arrived outside time limit on 8th stage
Juan Carlos Dominguez (Phonak), abandoned during 8th stage
Jaime Hernández (Bianchi), abandoned during 8th stage
Davide Frattini (Alessio), expelled during 7th stage
Gerrit Glomser (Saeco), expelled during 7th stage
Julian Dean (CSC), arrived outside time limit on 7th stage
Francesco Secchiari (Domina Vacanze-Elitron) abandoned during 7th stage
Jan Svorada (Lampre) abandoned during 7th stage
Cyril Dessel (Phonak) abandoned during 7th stage
Franck Vandenbroucke (Quick Step-Davitamon) abandoned during 7th stage
Massimo Apollonio (Vini Caldirola) abandoned during 7th stage
José Antonio Pecharromán (Paternina-Costa de Almería) abandoned during 5th stage
Cadel Evans (Telekom) did not take the start of 4th stage
Oscar Mason (Vini Caldirola) did not take the start of 4th stage
Giosue Bonomi (Saeco) abandoned during 4th stage
Jan Schaffrath (Telekom) abandoned during 4th stage
Nicola Gavazzi (Saeco) abandoned during 3rd stage
David Plaza (Bianchi) abandoned during 3rd stage
Mario Cipollini (Domina Vacanze-Elitron) did not take the start of 2nd stage
Ivan Quaranta (Saeco) abandoned during 1st stage

Stage Sixteen 23/09/03

Jaén - Sierra Nevada (Mountain Top finish) 162kms

Most of the times the riders make things really difficult at the climbs and this has been seen in Sierra Nevada in many occasions. Starting in Jaén, the first test will be the Alto de la Fuensanta, but the interesting part is to be found in Sierra Nevada. The effort will be considerable. Last year we arrived in Sierra Nevada from El Ejido.

They covered 198 kilometres and the Italian rider Guido Trenti achieved the stage win in front of Félix García Casas who lost only 8 seconds. Haimar Zubeldia and Mikel Zarrabeitia lost 10 seconds, Oscar Sevilla 47, Aitor González 58, Roberto Heras 1:45 and Angel Casero 1:49.

The last 40 kilometres will be the hardest ones and the teams interested in the podium will try to control the stage. Those who, at this stage, are sure of not winning the race, will surely try to be the best in Sierra Nevada.

From the crossroads of Europe and Asia, where Rabun from Turkey reads his reports, to the lakes of Minnesota, to the golden surf of California, the Vuelta España journals of Bingen Fernandez Bustinza have caught everyone's imagination. His tales from the peloton have oft been quoted by commentators across Europe as the great race in Spain unfolds...

Bingen Fernandez and David Millar at the Vuelta. Courtesy Cofidis.

Now, courtesy of the Cofidis Vuelta riders - David Millar, Daniel Atienza Urendez, Angelo Lopeboselli, Iñigo Cuesta Lopez de Castro, Peter Farazijn, Bingen Fernandez Bustinza, Dmitry Fofonov, Luis Perez Rodriguez and Guido Trentin - you have a chance to win a Cofidis jersey signed by the Cofidis Vuelta team.

A great prize, this, and one which will not be easy to win (just like a Grand Tour, as Bingen's diaries have shown us), but which on the other hand is very easy - all you have to do is write an article on cycling. It could be about a race, a ride, a maintainence tip, a team, whatever you choose. Simply put your best words into an article on cycling and the writer of the winning article will receive the signed Cofidis Vuelta jersey.

So get your golden pens ready, and here we go!

Contest Rules:

• Contest opens today, 22 September 2003, and closes 1 October 2003 at midnight Pacific Daylight Time.

• You may submit one entry to input@dailypeloton.com.

• By submitting an entry, you attest that the entry is your own, original work.

• By submitting an entry, you agree to have your entry published on the Daily Peloton. You retain all rights to your work, and author credit will be given if your entry is published.

• Articles previously submitted to the Daily Peloton will not be accepted.

• Receipt of your entry will be acknowledged by return email.

• The entries will be judged by a European and US judges panel, whose decision will be final.

• The winning entry as well as selected honorable mention articles may be published on the Daily Peloton.

• Daily Peloton staff may submit entries, but are not eligible to win the jersey.

Luis Perez at the Vuelta. Courtesy Cofidis and Graham Watson.