Since rumors about the Agliru inclusion in Vuelta a España 1999 started, the expectation by this climb has not let raise. After occuring to know the oficcial route of Vuelta 99, in december 1998, a lot of profesional cyclists and ex-cyclists and thousands of amateur cyclists went to Asturias to know live the great asturian climb. Among the first ones were Jiménez, Olano, Escartín, Perico Delgado and Bahamontes that agreed in emphasizing the ascend hardness. Some of them said that the stage would be imposible to finish if it rained and someone even affirmed that the inclusion of this stage in Vuelta was mere publicity and, in the end, the stage would be suspended, fortunately they were wrong.
On the twelveth of september, after a very hot week in Asturias, the day began with fog and drizzle, This did not prevent that a lot of people went to the climb to see the race.
Fans in Angliru
Escartín, with Pino, after his fall
The stage started in León with a good temperature and 170 riders prepared to bear one of the hardest stage in profesional cycling during last years. They had to face a stage with a category two climb (Ventana), two of category one ( Cobertoria and Soterraña ) and one special category (Angliru). Meanwhile, in the finish, there was a big tent with beds for ciclists to rest. The infraestructure of the goal had to be reduced because most of the trucks could not arrive at the top. Finally, the stage was a great organizative success, in spite of the difficulties, as much climatologic as logistic.
Ciclists used special gears: the winner Jiménez used 39x28 (an amateur gear), before being unable to raise the climb in a visit in october 1998, with 42x23. That day he had to chage his rear wheel by the wheel of an amateur ciclist.
After a very fast begining, a group of twelve ciclists were ahead, none of them dangerous for overall clasification.This men entered in Asturias ahead, Gwirznowski was the first one at puerto de Ventana . In the slope Ivanov was ahead, but the group catched him shortly after. Then Bettini attacked and was ahead at meta volante de San Martín. In the ascent to Cobertoria he is caught by some other riders of the group. Portuguese Banesto's ciclist Orlando Rodrigues was first at the top. In the slope Ivanov was ahead again, while some ciclists falled because the rain have made very slippery the road. The worst fall was Escartín's one that had to retire of the race and fineshed his season.
Again there are falls in La Cobertoria: in Vuelta 1993 Zulle falled dropping this port, loosing the time he would have needed to win overall. This have forced the organization to supress this climb in Vuelta 2000.
At La Soterraña Ivanov still went ahead with half and a minute over the main group, wich is leading by Jiménez. In the slope there are falls again because it is still raining, among the falls is Olano, that falls with Van de Wouwer. In spite of the spectacularity of the fall, the basque ciclist recovers very fast and get to connect with the main group without great difficulties.
Ivanov arrives with a minute at the begining of Angliru ascent but Tonkov attacks very hard at Ablaneo and shortly after connects with Ivanov. Meanwhile Zarrabetia helps Olano to connect with the ahead group where the favorites go. At Viapará Tonkov go ahead with 40 seconds over the group with Rubiera, Heras, Jiménez and Ulrich, and one minute over Casero and Olano, who have not team mates near him.
At 8 kilometres to go, Olano connects with Ullrich's group. Shortly after, Heras attacks, and only Jiménez can go with him. At 4 kilometres to go, Tonkov goes ahead with 57 seconds over Heras and Jiménez and 1-19 over Olano and Ullrich. Beltran surpasses to Olano and the basque ciclist takes advantage of this to surpasse to Ulrich.
At Aviru, Jiménez attacks and is getting close to Tonkov, who accuses the effort and goes ahead only with 45 seconds over Banesto ciclist. At last curves Jiménez catches the Mapei russian runner and because of his good knowledge of the ascent surpasses to Tonkov and wins the stage. In the last minutes weather improved a little, that was very important for the televising broadcasting wich shows the hardness of the stage and the beauty of the landscape.
At the top, the great surprise was that Olano, though the fall and the stage hardness, was fifth and kept the leadership, taking one minute over the german Ullrich. Tonkov was very disappointed at the finish, because he thought that a motorbike had prevented him to sprint at the finish, Mapei, even thouhgt of putting a claim but, finally, they did not. It is remarkable the great effort of the ciclists: 164 out of the 170 who started, arrived, though the hardness of the stage and the bad weather conditions. The last one was Jackie Durand at 35'56". On the other hand the asturian ciclists were great with Chechu Rubiera eighth beside Ullrich and Coque 23º.
The stage clasification was:
1 JIMENEZ, Jose María ESP BAN 4:52:04
2 TONKOV, Pavel RUS MAP s.t.
3 HERAS, Roberto ESP KEL 1:01
4 BELTRAN, Manuel ESP BAN 1:13
5 OLANO, Abraham ESP ONC 1:44
6 PIEPOLI, Leonardo ITA BAN 2:03
7 ULLRICH, Jan GER TEL 2:45
8 RUBIERA, José Luis ESP KEL 2:45
9 REBELLIN, Davide ITA PLT 3:00
10 GLEZ. GALDEANO, Igor ESP VIT 3:09
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