Vuelta a Andalucia - Ruta del Sol podium history

Scheduled to start: Pantani, Tonkov, Casagrande, Merckx, Zabel, Van Petegem, Dekker, Casero.

Thursday, February 21: 5th and final stage, Malaga - Granada, 157.3 km. The stage starts at Malaga on Spain's Costa del Sol, just northeast of Gibraltar. They head east along the coast until they reach Alumenicar (km 66). Then the race turns north into the Sierra Nevadas. There is one category 1 climb followed by two cat 3s. The last one, at km 142 is 845m. Then they descend a bit to the finish at 675 m.

1. Erik Dekker (Rabobank) 4hr 8min 8sec. 38.04 km/hr

2. Adolfo Garcia Quesada (iBanesto) s.t.
3. Axel Merckx (Domo) s.t.

4. Mikel Zarrabeitia (ONCE) s.t.

5. Luis Perez Rodriguez (Coast) s.t.

Final GC:

1. Antonio Colom (Relax) 21hr 17min 40sec. 821.9 km ridden at an average speed of 38,597 km/hr

2. Axel Merckx (Domo) @ 16sec
3. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (iBanesto) @ 17sec
4. Francisco Cabello (Kelme) @ 25sec
5. Aleksandr Shefer (Alessio) @ 25sec

6. Erik Dekker (Rabobank) @ 33sec

7. Adolfo Garcia quesada (iBanesto) @ 38sec

8. Mikel Zarrabeitia (ONCE) s.t.

9. Manuel Beltran (Coast) s.t.

10. Eirik Zabel (Telekom) @ 42sec

11. Angel Edo (Milaneza) s.t.

12. Jo Planckaert (Cofidis) s.t.

13. David Etxebarria (Euskaltel) s.t.

14. Juan Carlos Dominguez (Phonak) @ 47sec

15. Christian Werner (Nurnberger) s.t.

16. Peter Farazijn (Cofidis) s.t.

17. Joaquin Rodriguez (ONCE) s.t.

18. Enrico Cassani (Domo-Farm Frites) @ 1min 23sec

19. Rinaldo Nocentini (Fassa Bortolo) @ 1min 28sec

20. Piotr Wadecki (Domo-Farm Frites) s.t.

Wednesday, February 20: Stage 4, Lucena - Benelmadena, 188.1 km. There is a 3rd categroy climb in the middle, then 10 km before the end, there is a sharp 2nd category climb that rises to 230 m elevation; then a drop to 50 meters at the end. Can a climber escape and hold it to the end?

1. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Kelme) 4hr 29min 20sec
2. Antonio Colom (Relax) s.t.
3. Erik Zabel (Telekom) @ 25sec

GC after Stage 4:

1 Antonio Colom (Relax). 17hr 9min 23sec
2. Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Kelme) @ 17sec
3. Francisco Cabello ( Kelme) @ 25sec
4. Aleksandr Shefer (Alessio) @ 25sec
5. Axel Merckx (Domo) @ 42sec

6. Erik Zabel (Telekom) @ 42sec

Tuesday, February 19: Stage 3, Cordoba - Jaen, 163 km. One 3rd category climb about in the middle of the stage. From about km 100, they climb more or less steadily from 200 meters elevation to 525 at the finish.

1. Endrio Leoni (Alessio) 4hr 2min 9sec
2. Erik Zabel (Telekom) s.t.
3. Angel Edo (Milaneza) s.t.

GC after Stage 3:

1. Francisco Cabello (Kelme) 12hr 40min 3sec
2. Antonio Colom (Relax) s.t.
3. Aleksandr Shefer (Alessio) s.t.
4. Axel Merckx (Domo) s.t.
5. Erik Zabel (Telekom) @ 17sec

Monday, February 18: Stage 2, Lora del Rio - Cordoba, 159.7 km. 3 category 3 climbs and 1 category 2 climb. The last climb is almost 20 km before a long downhill to the finish.

1. Aleksandr Shefer (Alessio) 4hr 33min 13sec
2. Antonio Colom (Relax) s.t.
3. Axel Merckx (Domo) s.t.

GC after stage 2:

1. Antonio Colom (Relax) 8hr 37min 54sec
2. Francisco Cabello (Kelme) s.t.
3. Aleksandr Shafer (Alessio) s.t.

Sunday, February 17: Stage 1, Huelva - Sevilla, 148 km. There are 4 third category climbs in this stage.

1. Endrio Leoni (Alessio) 4hr 4min 41sec
2. Erik Zabel (Telekom) s.t.
3. Fabrizio Guidi (Coast) s.t.
24. Erik Dekker (Rabobank) s.t.
106. Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno) s.t.

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