| 09/12/2001 | Road Racing News for 9/11/01 [infociclismo]+ LA VUELTA A ESPAÑA
STAGE 4: Colombian Santiago Botero, from Team Kelme Costa Blanca, became the new leader of the Vuelta after a 175 km fourth stage disputed between León and Gijón, which was won by German Erik Zabel-marking the German's third stage win in a row so far. A crash with a little over a kilometer left to race created splits in the peloton and
Botero, well-situated and perhaps just lucky, came in a group 16 seconds behind the stage winner and was able to make-up his overnight time deficit to David Millar (Cofidis).
Botero, 29, just barely missed grabbing the golden jersey during the opening day prologue and now will face the infamous Lagos de Covadonga stage with the leader's jersey. "For me it's fantastic prize and removes some of the disappointment of missing out during the first day. If we are able to retain the jersey through Lagos, then we can begin thinking about Madrid", exclaimed the Colombian cyclist. While the world witnessed the horrifying scenes of the terrorist actions in the U.S., the riders rode through a stage that was relatively easy until the last kilometers. The new leader was appraized of the events of the day and expresses his deepest sorrow towards "acts such as these, which can affect all of us".
Zabel's third was not without controversy as he appeared to utilize the barriers to impede the progress of second place finisher, Oscar Freire. Mapei filed a protest but race officials sided with the German, concluding that the race barriers were indeed narrowing the path towards the end of the sprint.
Other riders prominently featured in the stage were Relax Fuenlabrada's Cesar García Calvo and Rabobank's Karsten Kroon, who drove off the front of the peloton at kilometer 18. The peloton, taking it easy before tomorrow's difficult stage, took most of the stage to bring the attackers back. As a result of their 145 km attack, Garcia Calvo
netted the metas volantes jersey and Kroon, the King of the Mountains.
The fifth stage, 160.8 kms, features the first true difficulty of the Vuelta as well as the race's first of seven mountaintop finishes. The race should know who the real protagonists will be by the end of the day
tomorrow.
STAGE 4, Leon to Gijon, 175 km:
1.ZABEL, Erik (GER/TEL) 4:09:46
2.FREIRE, Oscar (ESP/MAP) s.t.
3.TEUTENBERG, Sven (GER/FES) s.t.
4.FERNANDEZ, David (ESP/REL) s.t.
5.CRETSKENS, Wilfried (BEL/DFF) s.t.
6.HORRILLO, Pedro (ESP/MAP) s.t.
7.PAOLINI, Luca (ITA/MAP) s.t.
8.TOMBAK, Janek (EST/COF) s.t.
9.ALDAG, Rolf (GER/TEL) s.t.
10.ELLI, Alberto (ITA/TEL) at 4 s.
11.HUNDERTMARK, Kai (GER/TEL) at 5 s.
12.BOTERO, Santiago (COL/KEL) at 16 s.
13.PRONK, Matthe (NED/RAB) s.t.
14.KONECNY, Tomas (CZE/DFF) s.t.
15.AGGIANO, Elio (ITA/MAP) at 18 s.
16.CASERO, Angel (ESP/FES) at 21 s.
17.OLANO, Abraham (ESP/ONC) s.t.
18.REBOLLO, Jose Luis (ESP/FES) s.t.
19.MARTINEZ, Alberto (ESP/EUS) s.t.
20.BELTRAN, Manuel (ESP/MAP) s.t.
G.C. after Stage 4:
1.BOTERO, Santiago (COL/KEL) 11:02:20
2.MILLAR, David (GBR/COF) at 4 s.
3.HORRILLO, Pedro (ESP/MAP) at 11 s.
4.GONZALEZ. GALDEANO, Igor (ESP/ONC) at 21 s.
5.GUTIERREZ, José (ESP/KEL) at 29 s.
6.SEVILLA, Oscar (ESP/KEL) at 39 s.
7.ELLI, Alberto (ITA/TEL) at 41 s.
8.CAÑADA, David (ESP/MAP) at 47 s.
9.NOE, Andrea (ITA/MAP) at 48 s.
10.BELOKI, Joseba (ESP/ONC) at 49 s.
11.PLAZA, David (ESP/FES) at 50 s.
12.ALDAG, Rolf (GER/TEL) at 51 s.
13.ZARRABEITIA, Mikel (ESP/ONC) at 52 s.
14.PAOLINI, Luca (ITA/MAP) s.t.
15.JAKSCHE, Jorg (GER/ONC) s.t.
16.KONECNY, Tomas (CZE/DFF) at 54 s.
17.MARTINEZ, Alberto (ESP/EUS) at 55 s.
18.PINOTTI, Marco (ITA/LAM) at 56 s.
19.OLANO, Abraham (ESP/ONC) at 57 s.
20.HERAS, Roberto (ESP/USP) s.t.
REACTIONS TO U.S. CRISIS:
-BOTERO MOVED BY EVENTS IN THE U.S.
Colombian Santiago Botero, of Team Kelme Costa Blanca, new leader of the Vuelta 2001, was deeply moved as we was informed of the day's events in the U.S. "I did not know a thing, but it gives me goosebumps and makes
me want to cry. We constantly face terror in my country and I regret to see it appears to be proliferating throughout the world", exclaimed the Vuelta's new leader.
-U.S. POSTAL DIRECTOR JOHAN BRUYNEEL
Approached to comment on the U.S. situation, Belgian Johan Bruyneel, team Director for the only U.S. team in the Vuelta, expressed concern about the situation. He found out through the radio mid-race and "could not believe it", but decided against advising his riders until the end of the stage in order "to avoid making the overly nervous", added Bruyneel. Bruyneel does not anticipate the sponsor will request the withdrawal of the team from the race.
-AMERICAN RIDER CHANN MCRAE, one of the American riding for USPS exclaimed: "I do not understand anything. How can this monstrocity occur in these modern times. I do not anticipate a team withdrawal from the race, but I do expect this situation will affect all of us, not only Americans".
THE STAGES
ITT = Individual Time Trial
MF = Mountain Finish
(Stage winner/G.C. leader)
1: Sep 8, Salamanca-Salamanca (ITT) 12 kms (Millar/Millar)
2: Sep 9, Salamanca-Valladolid 147,2 (Zabel/Millar)
3: Sep 10, Valladolid-León 140,5 (Zabel/Millar)
4: Sep 11, León-Gijón 175 (Zabel/Botero)
5: Sep 12, Gijón-Lagos Covadonga (MF) 160,8
6: Sep 13, Cangas de Onís-Torrelavega 180,6
7: Sep 14, Torrelavega-Torrelavega (ITT) 44,2
8: Sep 15, Reinosa-Alto Demanada (final en alto) 195
9: Sep 16, Logroño-Zaragoza 179,2
Rest Day: Sep 17
10: Sep 18, Sabadell-La Molina (MF) 168,4
11: Sep 19, Alp-Andorra/Pal (MF) 154,2
12: Sep 20, Ordino Arcalís-Andorra (Mountain ITT) 17,1
13: Sep 21, Andorra-Port Aventura (Tarragona) 206
14: Sep 22, Port Aventura-Vinaros 170,5
15: Sep 23, Valencia-Aitana (MF) 207,2
Rest Day: Sep 24
16: Sep 25, Alcoy-Murcia 153,3
17: Sep 26, Murcia-Albacete 159,5
18: Sep 27, Albacete-Cuenca 154,2
19: Sep 28, Cuenca-Guadalajara 168
20: Sep 29, Guadalajara-Alto Abantos (MF) 181
21: Sep 30, Madrid-Madrid (ITT) 38
+ RACING
06.09.2001 15.09.2001 Tour de l'Avenir FRA 2.5 MEL
Stage 6, Mardeuil-Ancerville:
1. COOKE, Baden (AUS/MCY) 4 h 25' 03"
2. MENCHOV, Denis (RUS/BAN) at 2"
3. JIMENEZ, Eladio (ESP/BAN) at 12"
4. BRARD, Florent (FRA/FES) at 20"
5. LUDI, Florian (SUI/PHO) s.t.
6. CHAVANEL, Sylvain (FRA/BJR) s.t.
7. PETROV, Eugeni (RUS/MAP) at 26"
8. ISASI FLORES, Iñaki (ESP/EUS) at 30"
9. MANZANO, Jesús (ESP/KEL) s.t.
10. LASTRAS, Pablo (ESP/BAN) s.t.
G.C.
1. CUENCA, J. Miguel (ESP/KEL) 26 h 50' 42"
2. JIMENEZ, Eladio (ESP/BAN) at 24"
3. COOKE, Baden (AUS/MCY) at 31"
4. MENCHOV, Denis (RUS/BAN) at 48"
5. CHAVANEL, Sylvain (FRA/BJR) s.t.
6. MANZANO, Jesús (ESP/KEL) at 50"
7. LARA, Francisco (ESP/FES) at 52"
8. EDALEINE, Christophe (FRA/DEL) at 1' 07"
9. BODROGI, Lazslo (HUN/MAP) at 1' 08"
10. BRARD, Florent (FRA/FES) s.t.
+ NEWS
FRIGO AND MAGNANI OUT FOR SIX MONTHS
Italian riders Dario Frigo and Marco Magnani have been suspended for six months by the Italian Disciplinary Commission as a result of the police raids on the Giro 2001. Daniele De Paoli (Mercatone Uno) and Gabriele Missaglia (Lampre-Daikin), both currently riding the Vuelta Ciclista a España, have had their decision postponed to September 30th as they have chosen to make declarations before the Commission. The suspensions, retroactive, means that Frigo will not be able to compete before December 8, while Magnani may return on December 2.www.infociclismo.com
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