Friday 15 September 2000
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| 15:15-16:30 |
| Cycling: Tour of Spain |
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Nineteenth stage: Salamanca - Avila (130 km).
Saturday 16 September 2000
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| 16:45-17:00 |
| CYCLING: Tour of Spain |
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Twentieth stage: Avila - Alto de Abantos (160 km) Delayed
Sunday 17 September 2000
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| 16:45-17:00 |
| CYCLING: Tour of Spain |
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Twenty first stage: Madrid - Madrid (36 km) Delayed
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Cycling: Tour
of Spain
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Abraham
Olano
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The
Vuelta e Espana is one of the most important races in the cycling season -
of comparable importance to the Giro d'Italia, and second only to the Tour
de France. First held in 1935, and annually from 1955, the 55th Vuelta got
underway in Malaga on Saturday August 26th.
It has been moved
forward a year on the international cycling calendar to make room for the
Olympics - which actually begin the day before the Vuelta finishes.
But hopes are high for a home success - ONCE's Abraham Olano won in 1998,
whereas Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano of the Vitalicio Seguros team, and Kelme's
Roberto Heras finished second and third last year. Former winners Alex Zulle
(Banesto) and Laurent Jalabert (ONCE) will pose the greatest threat to a Spanish
victory, as will Jan Ullrich of the Deutsche Telekom team.
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Alex
Zulle
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In total, 20 teams
will be lining up at the startline in Malaga - with the established Spanish
teams Banesto and ONCE joined by the new Costa de Almeria team this season.
However, nothing can be guaranteed as, besides the Vuelta, there are still
some big prizes up for grabs this season, including the Olympics, and the
World Championships.
This year's event comprises of twenty-one stages over a total distance of
2,933km. There are 8 flat stages, 10 mountain stages and three individual
time trials - the prologue, the 9th stage in Barcelona, and the final 21st
stage in Madrid. They include 5 mountain finishes, 3 special category climbs,
10 category I mountain climbs, and a further 7 category II climbs. And if
that sounds altogether too gruelling, bare in mind that the schedule is disected
by two rest days - on Wednesday 6th and Friday 8th September.
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Laurent
Jalabert
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The
key stage in the Vuelta will be the 16th - from Gijon to the summit of the
Angliru Pass, although, with an individual time-trial and Madrid to round
things off, interest should be maintained all the way to the finish line.
The prize fund is not to be sniffed at - 104 million pesetas (£378,400),
with the winner pocketing 24 million - which comes in at a handy £87,325.
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