Vuelta a Murcia podium history

Teams entered and some notable riders scheduled to ride:

IBANESTO: Piepoli, Mercado, Osa, Mancebo
ONCE: Beloki, Olano
EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI: Etxebarria
RELAX: Garrido
KELME: Cabello
COSTA DE ALMERIA
US POSTAL: Heras, Rubiera, McRae, Cruz. Armstrong had planned to race, but the flu will keep him out.
RABOBANK: Leipheimer
TELEKOM: Livingston, Guerini. Knee problems will keep Ullrich out of his planned Euro season opener.
LAMPRE: Spruch, Svorada, Sciandri
TEAM NÜRNBERGER
MILANEZA: Jeker, Edo
COLLSTROP-PALMANS
SAECO: Di Luca, Sacchi
LOTTO: Eeckhout, Van de Wouwer, Verbrugghe
PHONAK: Camenzind, Strazzer
MERCATONE UNO: Pantani

Sunday, March 10: 5th and final stage, Murcia 12.9 km individual time trial.

1. Ren Andrle (ONCE) 15min 22sec. 50.368 km/hr

2. Rubens Bertogliati (Lampre) @ 2sec

3. Victor Hugo Pena (US Postal) @ 9sec

4. Jan Hruska (ONCE) @ 10sec

5. Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) @ 16sec

Final GC: 703.8 km covered at an average speed of 41.826 kph.

1. Victor Hugo Peña (US Postal) 16hr 49min 36sec

2. Jan Hruska (ONCE) @ 5sec

3. Oscar Camenzind (Phonak) @ 10sec

4. Grischa Niermann (Rabobank) @ 11sec

5. Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) @ 14sec

6. Javier Pascual Llorente (Kelme) @ 16sec

7. Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) @ 17sec

8. Claus Michael Moller (Milaneza) @ 18sec

9. Gabriele Missaglia (Lampre) @ 25sec

10. Angel Edo (Milaneza) @ 26sec

11. Jose Ivan Gutierrez (iBanesto) @ 32sec

12. Alessandro Specialetti (Saeco) @ 46sec

13. Francisco Cabello (Kelme) @ 46sec

14. Matthias Kessler (Telekom) @ 47sec

15. Victoriano Fernandez (Milaneza) @ 48sec

16. Jose Luis Rubiera (US Postal) @ 49sec

17. David Etxebarria (Euskaltel) @ 50sec

18. Benjamin Noval (Relax) @ 53sec

19. Jens Heppner (Telekom) @ 57sec

20. Joan Horrach (Milaneza) @ 1min 11sec

Saturday, March 9: Stage 4, Ceuti - Alhama, 173.6. While only 2 of the day's climbs of this stage are categorized, it is a relentless day that should see a GC change.

The climbs:

Km 16: 2nd category 475 meter Alto de Ricote
Km 151 1st category 1125 meter Alto Collado Bermejo.

Results:

1. Angel Edo (Milaneza) 2hr 25min 33sec

2. David Etxebarria (Euskaltel) s.t.

3. Oscar Camenzind (Phonak) s.t.

4. Matthias Kessler (Telekom) s.t.

5. Gabriele Missaglia (Lampre) s.t.

GC after Stage 4: 690.9 km covered so far with an avaerage speed of 41.719 kph

1. Angel Edo (Milaneza) 16hr 33min 38sec

2. Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) @ 23sec

3. David Etxebarria (Euskaltel) @ 25sec

4. Oscar Camenzind (Phonak) @ 27sec

5. Victor Hugo Peña (US Postal) @ 27sec

Friday, March 8: Stage 3, Molina - Alguazas, 180.2 km. This stage is two long, unrated climbs. The stage starts at 50 meters elevation and climbs to 500 meters at km 54, then drops to 200 meters at km 76, then back up to 450 meters at km 135. Then a descent to 100 meters, the elevation at the finish.

Results:

1. Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) 4hr 5min 5sec

2. Isaac Galvez (Kelme) s.t.

3. Angel Edo (Milaneza) s.t.

4. Jan Svorada (Lampre) s.t.

5. Massimo Strazzer (Phonak) s.t.

GC after Stage 3: 517.3 km covered so far at an average speed of 42.619 kph.

1. Angel Edo (Milaneza) 12hr 8min 16sec

2. Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) s.t.

3. Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) @ 15sec

4. Adolfo Garcia (iBanesto) @ 16sec

5. Victor Hugo Peña (US Postal) @ 16sec

Thursday, March 7: Stage 2, Beniel - San Javier, 160.3 km. At km 104, the 1st category "Alto Cresta del Gallo" rises to 400 meters, then drops hard for a fast descent. At km 131, the final obstruction is the 3rd category "Alto de Cabesa" at 325 meters. The riders drop to sea level by km 151, then it's flat on in to the finish.

Results:

1. Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) 3hr 43min 4sec

2. Angel Edo (Milaneza) s.t.

3. Marc Lotz (Rabobank) s.t.

4. David Etxebarria (Euskaltel) s.t.

5. Matthias Kessler (Telekom) s.t.

GC after Stage 2: 337 km covered so far with an average speed of 41.852 kph.

1. Angel Edo (Milaneza) 8hr 3min 16sec

2. Fabio Sacchi (Saeco) @ 5sec

3. Danilo Di Luca (Saeco) @ 10sec

4. Adolfo Garcia (iBanesto) @ 11sec

5. Victor Hugo Peña (US Postal) @ 11sec

Wednesday, March 6: Stage 1, Murcia - Fortuna, 176.8 km. It starts at 50 m elevation. There is one rated climb, a category 3 at km 75 that rises to 275 m. At km 136 the race climbs to 400 meters, but the climb is not rated. The final 16 km rise from 50 m elevation to 200 m at the finish.

Results:

1. Jan Svorada (Lampre) 4hr 20min 27sec

2. Angel Edo (Milaneza) s.t.

3. Massimo Strazzer (Phonak) s.t.

4. Sergio Villamil (Relax) s.t.

5. Nico Eeckhout (Lotto) s.t.

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