Heras clinches record fourth Vuelta as Petacchi claims finale
- By Andrew Hood
- Published Sep. 18, 2005
Roberto Heras could finally smile after safely crossing the finish line in Sunday’s 21st stage of the 2005 Vuelta a España.
While the race had all but been decided in last weekend’s epic climbing stage, it wasn’t official until he made it through Sunday’s 136.5km finale, finishing 32nd behind stage winner Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo).
With that, he rode into the history books by winning a record fourth Vuelta crown.
“I don’t know what I will do next year. Right now I want to enjoy this win at the Vuelta, the race that’s given me so much,” said the triumphant Heras.
Heras’s easiest win
Indeed, throughout the past three weeks, everyone seemed more interested in why Heras couldn’t ride with such dominance at the Tour de France as he has during the 60th Vuelta.
After two disappointing Tours, when he failed to even pose a threat after riding for three years supporting Lance Armstrong, Heras came to the Vuelta intent on winning back his confidence.
He won two stages and nearly grabbed Saturday’s flat time trial, proof that Heras seems to have regained his footing looking ahead to 2006.
“I think this Vuelta is where I’ve felt the best of the four,” he said
With his dramatic stage victory in last weekend’s climbing stage to Pajares, Heras jumped back into the lead with a comfortable 4:30 lead heading into the final week. From there, the fight was all for leftovers and Heras’s Liberty Seguros controlled the race with a firm hand.
Francisco Mancebo (Illes Balears) attacked no less than seven times in Wednesday’s and Thursday’s stages, but could only take home three seconds he won squirting ahead of the main bunch into Avila.
For Heras, his future seems to look beyond Spain, but it might not include the Tour de France. Next year, the attacking Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov is set to join Liberty Seguros.
“I’d like to win a grand tour that’s not in Spain,” Heras said, obviously alluding to the Tour and the Giro. “Next year I might race the Giro, then we’ll see what happens after that.”
King of the Spanish roads
Within Spain, there’s no doubt that Heras is the king of the roads.
Heras won his first Vuelta in 2000 at the ripe age of 26, the same year he finished fifth overall at the Tour. That was enough for him to get a multimillion-dollar, four-year contract with U.S. Postal Service.
He rode three years in support of Armstrong, but really never shone in the Tour except to help brilliantly in the Pyrenees in 2002. Other years he was either sick or not in top form. By 2004, Liberty Seguros wanted Heras and Armstrong was more than happy to let him go.
Heras always seemed to be able to bounce back for the Vuelta, however. In 2001, he ran into an ambitious Levi Leipheimer, a U.S. Postal teammate who bumped Heras out of the top three in the final-day time trial in Madrid to become the only American to finish on the Vuelta podium.
In 2002, the humiliation repeated itself as Aitor González surpassed Heras in a crushing final-day time trial to relegate him into second place.
In 2003, Heras overcame an outclassed Isidro Nozal in the final days of the Vuelta to secure his second title, giving U.S. Postal two grand-tour victories in one year.
Then last year, he had just enough in the tank to hold off Santi Pérez (later suspended for two years for blood doping) and Francisco Mancebo to claim the third title.
This year, Heras proved he had overcome any difficulties in the Tour with a strong opening time trial and then blowing up the field to win stage six and grab the jersey.
Many thought the race was for second place before Denis Menchov, the winner of the opening time trial, did it again in the complicated race against the clock into Lloret de Mar to snag a 47-second lead.
The Rabobank rider held off Heras without any difficulties through the Pyrenees and the legendary climbing stage to Lagos de Covadonga in stage 14. Heras was ready to throw in the towel.
“After the stage to Covadonga, because that’s when we felt less optimistic about the chances to win,” he said. “Even though I felt good, and I hadn’t had a bad moment, not even the night after I had crashed, Menchov was very strong.”
That all changed when Heras’s Liberty Seguros boys ganged up on Menchov, catching him off guard in the mountainous stage 15 to Pajares. Liberty sent four riders into early breaks, then had two them wait for Heras to come off the day’s penultimate climb.
A 15-second gap soon turned into two minutes at the base of the final climb and within 30 minutes, the 2005 Vuelta was all but over.
Menchov finished second overall, 4:36 seconds adrift, with Carlos Sastre (CSC) taking third, 4:54 behind.
No surprises except ‘ugly finish’
There were no major surprises in the final stage of the 2005 Vuelta except for the one waiting at the finish line.
The 127 survivors from the original 197 starters were ready for a well-deserved fiesta after concluding the three-week, 21-stage Vuelta that started back in Granada on August 27.
Africa-like heat in the opening week took its toll on the peloton, which saw an abnormally high number of abandons. Later, many of the top stars, including Thor Hushovd, Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini, pulled out ahead of the road world championships set for this week in Madrid.
One rider who stuck with it was Petacchi, who drove home his fifth victory of this Vuelta on the same finishing straight he’ll see next Sunday in the men’s road world championship race.
The final stage followed the script with an easy stage and nothing much happened until the peloton rolled into Madrid for two laps on the world-championship circuit. Alexandre Botcharov (Crédit Agricole) and Luis Pasamontes (Relax Fuenlabrada) were the day’s main protagonists, making a half-hearted breakaway with 30km to go.
Fassa Bortolo did what it had to do to set up “Alejet” for one final charge to the line, but Italian Marco Zanotti (Liquigas) anticipated the bunch on the final curve and tried to surprise the others with a long sprint.
The frenetic finale disrupted Petacchi’s silver train. Forced to finish off the chase himself, he still had no problem holding off eternal second Erik Zabel (T-Mobile) to remind everyone who the favorite will be in a week’s time.
“Like a lot of riders, I came here thinking of abandoning early on, but decided to continue to Madrid and this last win is my reward,” Petacchi said.
Petacchi and the rest of the sprinters were dismayed by what they saw of the finishing straight at race speed, however. With about 400 meters to go, the course loops around a big traffic circle on Madrid’s Paseo de la Castellana, with a sweeping, 360-degree right turn to bring the finish down the opposite side of the road.
The complicated turn is sure to disrupt the best-laid plans for the top sprinters, something Petacchi was quick to comment on following his win.
“It’s an ugly and difficult finish that you’ll have to be very careful about,” Petacchi said. “The last turn is very complicated and it will fundamental for the team to be at the front with two or three riders, where you’ll have to slow down and then start the sprint.”
Petacchi later shot down the growing notion that a sprint finish is a foregone conclusion.
“Everyone in the world believes that it’s an easy course, but it’s not,” he continued. “It’s a long race, nearly 280km, there will be a lot of attacks, above all on the climbs and it will be very hard. This isn’t like the world’s at Zolder. Here you can’t just follow the wheel.”
Stage 21 Results
1. Alessandro Petacchi (I), Fassa Bortolo, 3:34:41
2. Erik Zabel (G), T-Mobile
3. Heinrich Haussler (G), Gerolsteiner
4. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi
5. Jimmy Casper (F), Cofidis
6. Gert Steegmans (B), Davitamon-Lotto
7. Bram De Groot (Nl), Rabobank
8. Michael Barry (CAN), Discovery Channel
9. Arnaud Coyot (F), Cofidis
10. René Haselbacher (A), Gerolsteiner
FullResults
Overall- Final
1. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 82:22:55
2. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 4:36
3. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 4:54
4. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 5:58
5. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Sp), ECV, 8:06
6. Ruben Plaza (Sp), ECV, 11:36
7. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), T-Mobile, 13:22
8. Tom Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 16:38
9. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Davitamon-Lotto, 18:15
10. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quickstep, 18:31
FullResults
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Photo Gallery
Results
Stage Results
1. Alessandro Petacchi (I), Fassa Bortolo, 3:34:41
2. Erik Zabel (G), T-Mobile
3. Heinrich Haussler (G), Gerolsteiner
4. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi
5. Jimmy Casper (F), Cofidis
6. Gert Steegmans (B), Davitamon-Lotto
7. Bram De Groot (Nl), Rabobank
8. Michael Barry (CAN), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
9. Arnaud Coyot (F), Cofidis
10. René Haselbacher (A), Gerolsteiner
11. Gilberto Simoni (I), Lampre
12. Francisco José Ventoso (Sp), Saunier Duval
13. Pablo Lastras (Sp), Illes Balears
14. Rafael Nuritdinov (UZB), Domina Vacanze
15. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Davitamon-Lotto
16. Marco Zanotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi
17. Constantino Zaballa (Sp), Saunier Duval
18. Nacor Burgos (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada
19. Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (F), Cofidis
20. Luis Pasamontes (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada
21. Koos Moerenhout (Nl), Davitamon-Lotto
22. Mario Aerts (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 0:04
23. Josep Jufre (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 0:04
24. Rafael Casero (Sp), Saunier Duval, 0:04
25. Jose Miguel Elias (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 0:04
26. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quickstep, 0:04
27. Tom Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 0:04
28. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
29. Jérémy Roy (F), Francaise des Jeux, 0:04
30. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), T-Mobile, 0:04
31. Kevin De Weert (B), Quickstep, 0:04
32. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 0:04
33. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 0:04
34. Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus), Rabobank, 0:04
35. Michele Scarponi (I), Liberty Seguros, 0:04
36. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 0:04
37. Giampaolo Caruso (I), Liberty Seguros, 0:04
38. Angel Gomez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 0:04
39. Ruben Plaza (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
40. Bingen Fernandez (Sp), Cofidis, 0:04
41. Aketza PeÑa (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:04
42. Mikel Pradera (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:04
43. Benjamin Noval (Sp), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 0:04
44. Thomas Ziegler (G), Gerolsteiner, 0:04
45. Manuel Calvente (Sp), CSC, 0:04
46. Unai Osa (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:04
47. Joan Horrach (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:04
48. Joseba Beloki (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 0:04
49. Xavier Florencio (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 0:04
50. Alberto Ongarato (I), Fassa Bortolo, 0:04
51. Patrick Calcagni (Swi), Liquigas-Bianchi, 0:04
52. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol), Liberty Seguros, 0:04
53. Stijn Devolder (B), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 0:04
54. Sylvester Szmyd (Pol), Lampre, 0:04
55. Rolf Aldag (G), T-Mobile, 0:04
56. David Bernabeu (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
57. Roberto Laiseka (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:04
58. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Credit Agricole, 0:04
59. Francisco PÉrez (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:04
60. Eladio Jimenez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
61. Egoi Martinez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:04
62. David Blanco (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
63. Daniel Atienza (Sp), Cofidis, 0:04
64. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval, 0:04
65. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe), Liquigas-Bianchi, 0:04
66. Volker Ordowski (G), Gerolsteiner, 0:04
67. Magnus Backstedt (Swe), Liquigas-Bianchi, 0:04
68. Ian Mcleod (RSA), Francaise des Jeux, 0:04
69. Ignacio Gutierrez (Sp), Phonak, 0:04
70. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, 0:04
71. Daniele Nardello (I), T-Mobile, 0:04
72. David Latasa (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
73. Pedro Horrillo (Sp), Rabobank, 0:04
74. Martin Elmiger (Swi), Phonak, 0:04
75. Nicki Sorensen (Dk), CSC, 0:04
76. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:04
77. Alessandro Cortinovis (I), Domina Vacanze, 0:04
78. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:04
79. Jurgen Van Goolen (B), Quickstep, 0:04
80. David Lopez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:04
81. Gorka Gonzalez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:04
82. Staf Scheirlinckx (B), Cofidis, 0:22
83. Mauro Gerosa (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 0:22
84. Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, 0:22
85. Sergio Ghisalberti (I), Domina Vacanze, 0:22
86. Juan Fuentes (Sp), Lampre, 0:22
87. Nicolas Vogondy (F), Credit Agricole, 0:22
88. Iñigo Cuesta (Sp), Saunier Duval, 0:22
89. Moises DueÑas (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 0:22
90. Thorwald Veneberg (Nl), Rabobank, 0:22
91. Christian Vandevelde (USA), CSC, 0:22
92. Angel Vicioso (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 0:22
93. Andreas Matzbacher (A), Lampre, 0:22
94. Andrea Peron (I), CSC, 0:22
95. Nick Gates (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 0:26
96. Linus Gerdemann (G), CSC, 0:26
97. Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 0:28
98. Joaquin Rodriguez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 0:28
99. Marco Marzano (I), Lampre, 0:28
100. Marcos Serrano (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 0:28
101. Sven Montgomery (Swi), Gerolsteiner, 0:31
102. Bart Dockx (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 0:36
103. Lorenzo Bernucci (I), Fassa Bortolo, 0:41
104. Giovanni Lombardi (I), CSC, 0:41
105. Andreas Klier (G), T-Mobile, 0:41
106. Jorge Garcia (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 0:41
107. José Vicent Garcia Acosta (Sp), Illes Balears, 0:41
108. Preben Van Hecke (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 0:41
109. Thomas Voeckler (F), Bouygues Telecom, 0:41
110. Adolfo Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 0:41
111. Rik Verbrugghe (B), Quickstep, 0:47
112. André Korff (G), T-Mobile, 0:49
113. Matej Mugerli (SLO), Liquigas-Bianchi, 1:06
114. Leon Van Bon (Nl), Davitamon-Lotto, 1:06
115. Charles Wegelius (GB), Liquigas-Bianchi, 1:17
116. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Credit Agricole, 1:42
117. Frédéric Finot (F), Francaise des Jeux, 1:42
118. Yohann Gene (F), Bouygues Telecom, 1:42
119. Marcus Burghardt (G), T-Mobile, 2:03
120. Allan Johansen (Dk), CSC, 2:18
121. Devis Miorin (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 2:39
122. Fabio Baldato (I), Fassa Bortolo, 3:32
123. Benoît Vaugrenard (F), Francaise des Jeux, 3:32
124. Uwe Peschel (G), Gerolsteiner, 3:32
125. Anthony Charteau (F), Bouygues Telecom, 3:32
126. Victor Hugo PeÑa (Col), Phonak, 6:24
127. Bernhard Kohl (A), T-Mobile, 9:57
Overall- Final
1. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 82:22:55
2. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 4:36
3. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 4:54
4. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 5:58
5. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 8:06
6. Ruben Plaza (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 11:36
7. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), T-Mobile, 13:22
8. Tom Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 16:38
9. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Davitamon-Lotto, 18:15
10. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quickstep, 18:31
11. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 20:12
12. Michele Scarponi (I), Liberty Seguros, 31:44
13. David Blanco (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 34:57
14. Koos Moerenhout (Nl), Davitamon-Lotto, 35:03
15. Josep Jufre (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 35:33
16. Mario Aerts (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 36:18
17. Daniel Atienza (Sp), Cofidis, 36:23
18. Unai Osa (Sp), Illes Balears, 37:14
19. Marcos Serrano (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 38:37
20. Pablo Lastras (Sp), Illes Balears, 40:45
21. Alexandre Botcharov (Rus), Credit Agricole, 42:14
22. Roberto Laiseka (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 47:46
23. Manuel Calvente (Sp), CSC, 50:35
24. Sylvester Szmyd (Pol), Lampre, 50:50
25. Stijn Devolder (B), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 50:50
26. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, 51:54
27. Joan Horrach (Sp), Illes Balears, 52:44
28. Victor Hugo PeÑa (Col), Phonak, 54:14
29. Luis Pasamontes (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 1:01:14
30. Iñigo Cuesta (Sp), Saunier Duval, 1:05:23
31. Jose Miguel Elias (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 1:10:27
32. Christian Vandevelde (USA), CSC, 1:12:29
33. Julian Sanchez Pimienta (Sp), Fassa Bortolo, 1:16:37
34. Bingen Fernandez (Sp), Cofidis, 1:17:07
35. Adolfo Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 1:18:47
36. Leonardo Piepoli (I), Saunier Duval, 1:19:40
37. Eladio Jimenez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 1:23:58
38. Joaquin Rodriguez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 1:25:59
39. Nicki Sorensen (Dk), CSC, 1:26:55
40. Joseba Beloki (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 1:27:19
41. Patrick Calcagni (Swi), Liquigas-Bianchi, 1:29:02
42. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 1:29:53
43. Gorka Gonzalez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 1:31:32
44. Rolf Aldag (G), T-Mobile, 1:32:00
45. Daniele Nardello (I), T-Mobile, 1:33:00
46. Egoi Martinez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 1:33:55
47. Moises DueÑas (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 1:35:38
48. Angel Vicioso (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 1:35:49
49. Jurgen Van Goolen (B), Quickstep, 1:36:18
50. David Bernabeu (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 1:41:58
51. Gilberto Simoni (I), Lampre, 1:42:07
52. Rafael Casero (Sp), Saunier Duval, 1:42:40
53. Francisco PÉrez (Sp), Illes Balears, 1:43:06
54. Heinrich Haussler (G), Gerolsteiner, 1:46:51
55. Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus), Rabobank, 1:48:27
56. Juan Fuentes (Sp), Lampre, 1:49:17
57. Michael Barry (CAN), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 1:50:14
58. Benjamin Noval (Sp), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 1:50:15
59. Constantino Zaballa (Sp), Saunier Duval, 1:50:23
60. Giampaolo Caruso (I), Liberty Seguros, 1:54:50
61. Charles Wegelius (GB), Liquigas-Bianchi, 1:55:00
62. Jorge Garcia (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 2:01:24
63. Erik Zabel (G), T-Mobile, 2:03:07
64. Nicolas Vogondy (F), Credit Agricole, 2:04:51
65. Andrea Peron (I), CSC, 2:08:15
66. Thomas Ziegler (G), Gerolsteiner, 2:08:16
67. Christophe Le Mevel (F), Credit Agricole, 2:10:54
68. Bram De Groot (Nl), Rabobank, 2:12:11
69. Angel Gomez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 2:14:42
70. Nacor Burgos (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 2:15:21
71. David Latasa (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 2:15:24
72. José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Sp), Illes Balears, 2:16:07
73. Linus Gerdemann (G), CSC, 2:22:01
74. Mikel Pradera (Sp), Illes Balears, 2:22:04
75. Anthony Charteau (F), Bouygues Telecom, 2:28:52
76. David Lopez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 2:29:41
77. Marcus Burghardt (G), T-Mobile, 2:30:11
78. Ignacio Gutierrez (Sp), Phonak, 2:30:22
79. Alberto Ongarato (I), Fassa Bortolo, 2:30:45
80. Dariusz Baranowski (Pol), Liberty Seguros, 2:34:51
81. Rik Verbrugghe (B), Quickstep, 2:34:58
82. Jérémy Roy (F), Francaise des Jeux, 2:38:14
83. Alessandro Cortinovis (I), Domina Vacanze, 2:39:25
84. Preben Van Hecke (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 2:39:53
85. Staf Scheirlinckx (B), Cofidis, 2:43:33
86. Lorenzo Bernucci (I), Fassa Bortolo, 2:43:34
87. Martin Elmiger (Swi), Phonak, 2:44:01
88. Sven Montgomery (Swi), Gerolsteiner, 2:45:39
89. Alessandro Petacchi (I), Fassa Bortolo, 2:48:10
90. Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 2:48:24
91. Andreas Matzbacher (A), Lampre, 2:48:49
92. Thorwald Veneberg (Nl), Rabobank, 2:50:33
93. Sergio Ghisalberti (I), Domina Vacanze, 2:51:53
94. Francisco José Ventoso (Sp), Saunier Duval, 2:54:33
95. Kevin De Weert (B), Quickstep, 2:55:03
96. Bart Dockx (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 2:56:05
97. Aketza PeÑa (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 2:57:53
98. Leon Van Bon (Nl), Davitamon-Lotto, 3:03:15
99. Xavier Florencio (Sp), Relax Fuenlabrada, 3:04:01
100. Matej Mugerli (SLO), Liquigas-Bianchi, 3:05:13
101. Marco Marzano (I), Lampre, 3:05:56
102. Thomas Voeckler (F), Bouygues Telecom, 3:07:48
103. Uwe Peschel (G), Gerolsteiner, 3:08:45
104. Mauro Gerosa (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 3:09:04
105. Gert Steegmans (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 3:10:05
106. Pedro Horrillo (Sp), Rabobank, 3:12:15
107. Volker Ordowski (G), Gerolsteiner, 3:14:14
108. Andreas Klier (G), T-Mobile, 3:15:06
109. Ian Mcleod (RSA), Francaise des Jeux, 3:19:11
110. Devis Miorin (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 3:21:18
111. Bernhard Kohl (A), T-Mobile, 3:22:02
112. Magnus Backstedt (Swe), Liquigas-Bianchi, 3:24:00
113. Arnaud Coyot (F), Cofidis, 3:26:28
114. Marcus Ljungqvist (Swe), Liquigas-Bianchi, 3:26:44
115. Giovanni Lombardi (I), CSC, 3:27:29
116. André Korff (G), T-Mobile, 3:28:13
117. Fabio Baldato (I), Fassa Bortolo, 3:28:59
118. Marco Zanotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 3:29:02
119. Hervé Duclos-Lassalle (F), Cofidis, 3:32:26
120. Rafael Nuritdinov (UZB), Domina Vacanze, 3:33:14
121. Nick Gates (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 3:45:15
122. René Haselbacher (A), Gerolsteiner, 3:47:10
123. Frédéric Finot (F), Francaise des Jeux, 3:50:45
124. Allan Johansen (Dk), CSC, 3:57:26
125. Jimmy Casper (F), Cofidis, 4:00:42
126. Benoît Vaugrenard (F), Francaise des Jeux, 4:04:09
127. Yohann Gene (F), Bouygues Telecom, 4:16:57
Final Overall Points
1. Alessandro Petacchi (I), Fassa Bortolo, 169 Pts.
2. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 169 Pts.
3. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 142 Pts.
4. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 124 Pts.
5. Erik Zabel (G), T-Mobile, 118 Pts.
6. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 117 Pts.
7. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 91 Pts.
8. Ruben Plaza (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 91 Pts.
9. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 90 Pts.
10. Heinrich Haussler (G), Gerolsteiner, 77 Pts.
11. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Davitamon-Lotto, 75 Pts.
12. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, 64 Pts.
13. Pablo Lastras (Sp), Illes Balears, 61 Pts.
14. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 52 Pts.
15. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), T-Mobile, 50 Pts.
16. Tom Danielson (USA), Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, 45 Pts.
17. Iñigo Cuesta (Sp), Saunier Duval, 44 Pts.
18. Roberto Laiseka (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 43 Pts.
19. Michele Scarponi (I), Liberty Seguros, 37 Pts.
20. David Blanco (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 35 Pts.
21. Marco Zanotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 34 Pts.
22. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quickstep, 33 Pts.
23. Joaquin Rodriguez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 32 Pts.
24. Gilberto Simoni (I), Lampre, 30 Pts.
25. Eladio Jimenez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 29 Pts.
Final Overall KOM
1. Joaquin Rodriguez (Sp), Saunier Duval, 200 Pts.
2. Eladio Jimenez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 166 Pts.
3. Roberto Heras (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 110 Pts.
4. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 72 Pts.
5. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 65 Pts.
6. Carlos Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 65 Pts.
7. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 63 Pts.
8. Iñigo Cuesta (Sp), Saunier Duval, 52 Pts.
9. Pablo Lastras (Sp), Illes Balears, 49 Pts.
10. Gilberto Simoni (I), Lampre, 43 Pts.
11. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Phonak, 42 Pts.
12. Roberto Laiseka (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 41 Pts.
13. Mauricio Ardila (Col), Davitamon-Lotto, 41 Pts.
14. David Blanco (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 41 Pts.
15. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 36 Pts.
16. Constantino Zaballa (Sp), Saunier Duval, 35 Pts.
17. Rik Verbrugghe (B), Quickstep, 34 Pts.
18. Samuel Sanchez (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 34 Pts.
19. Adolfo Garcia Quesada (Sp), Comunidad Valenciana, 34 Pts.
20. Staf Scheirlinckx (B), Cofidis, 27 Pts.
21. Michele Scarponi (I), Liberty Seguros, 26 Pts.
22. Joseba Beloki (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 26 Pts.
23. Mario Aerts (B), Davitamon-Lotto, 24 Pts.
24. Juan Miguel Mercado (Sp), Quickstep, 23 Pts.
25. Angel Vicioso (Sp), Liberty Seguros, 21 Pts.
FILED UNDER: Race Report / Race Result / Road
Andrew Hood
Hood cut his journalistic teeth at Colorado dailies before the web boom opened the door to European cycling in the mid-1990s. Hood's covered every Tour since 1996 and has been VeloNews' European correspondent since 2002. He lives in Leon, Spain, when he's not chasing bike races.