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Vuelta a Espana: Furlan scores again
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The penultimate stage of the 57th Vuelta a Espana went to script: a long breakaway and the sprinter teams taking control for a mass gallop to the line.
But Alessio’s Angelo Furlan ruined the storyline for Fassa Bortolo Alessandro Petacchi and Telekom’s Erik Zabel as he pipped the favorites for his second victory in the final week of the Vuelta. But for everyone fighting for the final spoils in the Vuelta, Saturday’s 141-km stage couldn’t have been better.
Sunday’s final-day time trial was on the minds of everyone. U.S. Postal’s Roberto Heras will put all of his frail climber’s body into holding onto a 1:08 lead and holding off time trial specialist Aitor Gonzalez of Kelme. Oscar Sevilla, who lost the Vuelta last year to Angel Casero (now on Team Coast) hopes he won’t repeat and lose the final podium position to ONCE’s Joseba Beloki.
It’s the second year in a row the Vuelta’s been decided on the final-day time trial. Last year, Casero came from behind to overtake Sevilla. This year, Gonzalez is trying to do the same thing. It’s climbing specialist vs. time trialist. It’s an exciting and fitting finish to what’s been an exciting Vuelta.
First, there was some unfinished business in the 20th stage from Avila to Warner Bros., a kitschy American-style theme park on the outskirts of Madrid. Relax-Fuenlabrada’s Oscar Laguna went looking for glory by attacking at 3 km. He got lots of TV time, opened up a lead north of nine minutes before the sprinter teams started to drain his advantage. With 14 km to go, it was bye-bye Laguna, hello sprinters.
Furlan came off the wheel of Jan Svorada (Lampre) and held off Petacchi and Zabel to take the final bragging rights for the sprinters. U.S. Postal’s Antonio Cruz gave it a push in the final charge to the line to finish 12th.
>> Down to the wireThe 2002 Vuelta a Espana will be decided by 41 kilometers of asphalt. From the very American start at the Warner Bros. theme park to the very Spanish soccer stadium at Santiago Bernabeu, every inch of pavement will make a difference.
There are four men fighting for three places on the podium and, most importantly, in which order. It’s Heras vs. Gonzalez and Sevilla vs. Beloki.
Heras’ lead of 1:08 is going to be most closely watched as the U.S. Postal Service captain squares off against the Vuelta’s sensation Gonzalez. Heras will have the race leader’s jersey and Gonzalez will have the confidence of knowing he’s a better time trialist. It’s simply too close to call.
U.S. Postal Service sport director Bruyneel said Heras will have the advantage because, as race leader, he’s starting last.
"He will have his references on his rivals. He will know exactly what he needs to do," Bruyneel said. "I believe Heras will win. Whatever happens, this Vuelta has been very positive for our team. We’ve been racing hard since the spring, racing in the Classics, winning Midi Libre, Dauphine and the Tour. Now this Vuelta is good for us and the differences are very small."
Heras promises to give everything he has to try to win the Vuelta for the second time in three years. The 2000 Vuelta champion lost the third-place podium position in last year’s Vuelta to former teammate Levi Leipheimer. He’s hoping he won’t lose the race to Gonzalez on the final day this year.
"I want to win, for sure. We’re going to put everything on the line," Heras said after finishing safely in the bunch Saturday. "Gonzalez is a time trial specialist. I attack in the mountains, so tomorrow is not my terrain, but we are going to fight. I believe the first half of the time trial will be the most important."
Kelme’s sport director Vicente Belda predicts Gonzalez can make up three seconds a kilometer to take the lead midway through the race against the clock. Gonzalez is playing it cool.
"I am hoping for the best. It’s very important in my cycling career that I have a very good day," Gonzalez said. "With a little bit of luck, I will be able to make up the difference. The Vuelta is still in the balance and it’s not going to be easy."
ONCE’s sport director Manolo Saiz says it’s going to be close in both races. Sevilla and Beloki are separated by just 24 seconds.
"I believe that Gonzalez made a major psychological strike against Heras in the attack he made at Avila, not so much in the four seconds he took, but rather the message he sends," Saiz said. "As for Beloki, we all know he’s not in the same form as the Tour and that Sevilla had an amazing time trial in Cordoba, so the race is very open."
Juan Fernandez, sport director for Team Coast of defending champion Casero, says Gonzalez will win because he’s a stronger time trialist.
"You have to remember the wonder time trial Aitor made at the final stage of the Giro d’Italia," Fernandez said. "The time trial specialists have the advantage in this situation, even when they are coming from behind."
Race notes
Jerseys wrapping up
With the final podium still up for grabs, two of the Vuelta’s other categories were wrapped up going into the final time trial. iBanesto’s Aitor Osa secured the king of the mountains jersey and Telekom’s Erik Zabel wrapped up the points jersey.
Osa, who won the Vuelta a Pais Vasco in the spring, gives Banesto the best climber’s jersey for the second year in a row while Zabel won the point’s jersey without winning a stage. Still up for grabs is the team classification. Kelme leads Team Coast by 1:08 in this important bragging-rights competition.
Where it stands: 57th Vuelta a Espana
Stage 20, Saturday, September 28, 2002, Avila to Warner Bros. theme park, 141 km
Stage winner: Angelo Furlan (I, Alessio).
Overall leader: Roberto Heras (Sp, USPS) retained the "jersey oro" for the fifth day, maintaining his lead of 1:08 over Aitor Gonzalez (Sp, Kelme).
Points jersey: Erik Zabel (G, Telekom) wrapped up the jersey despite not winning a stage.
Climber’s jersey: Aitor Osa (Sp, iBanesto.com) wrapped up the king of the mountains jersey.
Best team: Kelme retained its lead in the team competition to 1:08 over Team Coast.
The peloton: No abandons; 132 riders remain.
Weather: Wonderful, warm autumn day, bright sun, warm temperatures in the low 80s, light wind; more of the same for Sunday.
What’s next: Sunday’s 21st and final stage, 41 km individual time trial from Warner Bros. theme park to Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium in downtown Madrid.
