The 58th edition of the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the three grand tours, was held from 6 September to 28 September 2003. It consisted of 21 stages covering a total of 2,957 km (1,837 mi), and was won by Roberto Heras of the U.S. Postal cycling team.[1]

2003 Vuelta a España
Race details
Dates6–28 September
Stages21
Distance2,957 km (1,837 mi)
Winning time69h 31' 52"
Results
Winner  Roberto Heras (ESP) (U.S. Postal)
  Second  Isidro Nozal (ESP) (ONCE–Eroski)
  Third  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) (Communidad Valenciana-Kelme)

Points  Erik Zabel (GER) (Team Telekom)
Mountains  Félix Cárdenas (COL) (Cage Maglierie)
Combination  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) (Kelme–Costa Blanca)
  Team Spain iBanesto.com
← 2002
2004 →

Isidro Nozal lead the general classification for much of the race until succumbing to the pressure posed by Roberto Heras who closed the gap to Nozal over the final days and took the jersey in the final time trial. The points classification was won by Erik Zabel from Germany, the mountains classification was won by Félix Cárdenas from Colombia and the combination classification was won by Alejandro Valverde. iBanesto.com was the winner of the team ranking. Alessandro Petacchi, an Italian sprinter won five stages.

Route edit

List of stages[2][3]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
1 6 September Gijón – Gijón 28 km (17 mi)   Team time trial ONCE–Eroski
2 7 September GijónCangas de Onís 148 km (92 mi)   Luis Pérez (ESP)
3 8 September Cangas de OnísSantander 154.3 km (96 mi)   Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
4 9 September SantanderBurgos 151 km (94 mi)   Unai Etxebarria (VEN)
5 10 September SoriaZaragoza 166.7 km (104 mi)   Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
6 11 September Zaragoza – Zaragoza 43.8 km (27 mi)   Individual time trial   Isidro Nozal (ESP)
7 12 September HuescaCauterets (France) 190 km (118 mi)   Michael Rasmussen (DEN)
8 13 September CauteretsPla de Beret/Val d'Aran 166 km (103 mi)   Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)
9 14 September VielhaEnvalira (Andorra) 174.8 km (109 mi)   Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
10 15 September AndorraSabadell 194 km (121 mi)   Erik Zabel (GER)
16 September Rest day
11 17 September UtielCuenca 162 km (101 mi)   Erik Zabel (GER)
12 18 September CuencaAlbacete 168.8 km (105 mi)   Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
13 19 September Albacete – Albacete 53.3 km (33 mi)   Individual time trial   Isidro Nozal (ESP)
14 20 September AlbaceteValdepeñas 167.4 km (104 mi)   Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
15 21 September ValdepeñasLa Pandera 172.1 km (107 mi)   Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
22 September Rest day
16 23 September JaénSierra Nevada 162 km (101 mi)   Félix Cárdenas (COL)
17 24 September GranadaCórdoba 188.4 km (117 mi)   David Millar (GBR)
18 25 September Las Rozas – Las Rozas 143.8 km (89 mi)   Pedro Díaz Lobato (ESP)
19 26 September AlcobendasCollado Villalba 164 km (102 mi)   Filippo Simeoni (ITA)
20 27 September San Lorenzo de El EscorialAlto de Abantos [es] 11.2 km (7 mi)   Individual time trial   Roberto Heras (ESP)
21 28 September Madrid – Madrid 148.5 km (92 mi)   Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
Total 2,925 km (1,818 mi)

Jersey Progress edit

Stage Winner General classification Points classification Mountains classification Combination classification Team classification
1 ONCE–Eroski Igor González de Galdeano Igor González de Galdeano Jan Hruška Igor González de Galdeano ONCE–Eroski
2 Luis Pérez Joaquim Rodríguez Joaquim Rodríguez Luis Pérez Luis Pérez
3 Alessandro Petacchi
4 Unai Etxebarria Isidro Nozal David Etxebarria Félix Cárdenas Isidro Nozal
5 Alessandro Petacchi Alessandro Petacchi
6 Isidro Nozal
7 Michael Rasmussen
8 Joaquim Rodríguez Joaquim Rodríguez Joan Horrach
9 Alejandro Valverde Isidro Nozal Félix Cárdenas
10 Erik Zabel Alessandro Petacchi Alejandro Valverde
11 Erik Zabel Erik Zabel
12 Alessandro Petacchi Isidro Nozal
13 Isidro Nozal
14 Alessandro Petacchi Alessandro Petacchi
15 Alejandro Valverde Erik Zabel Alejandro Valverde
16 Félix Cárdenas
17 David Millar
18 Pedro Diaz Lobato
19 Filippo Simeoni
20 Roberto Heras Roberto Heras Alejandro Valverde iBanesto.com
21 Alessandro Petacchi Erik Zabel
Final Roberto Heras Erik Zabel Félix Cárdenas Alejandro Valverde iBanesto.com

General classification edit

Rank Rider Team Time
1   Roberto Heras U.S. Postal 69h31'52"
2   Isidro Nozal ONCE–Eroski '28"
3   Alejandro Valverde Kelme–Costa Blanca 2'25"
4   Igor González de Galdeano ONCE–Eroski 3'27"
5   Francisco Mancebo iBanesto.com 4'47"
6   Manuel Beltrán U.S. Postal 5'51"
7   Michael Rasmussen Rabobank 5'56"
8   Félix Cárdenas Labarca 2-Cafe Baque 6'33"
9   Unai Osa iBanesto.com 6'52"
10   Luis Pérez Cofidis 7'56"
11   Santos González Domina Vacanze–Elitron 9'08"
12   Óscar Sevilla Kelme–Costa Blanca 9'52"
13   Michele Scarponi Domina Vacanze–Elitron 10'13"
14   Marcos Serrano Team ONCE 12'51"
15   Félix Garcia Team Bianchi 14'18"
16   Txema Del Olmo Milaneza–MSS 14'38"
17   Óscar Pereiro Phonak Hearing Systems 17'05"
18   Iker Flores Euskaltel–Euskadi 18'31"
19   Guido Trentin Cofidis 29'34"
20   Josep Jufre Colchon Relax–Fuenlabrada 33'30"
21   Dario Frigo Fassa Bortolo 40'19"
22   Íñigo Cuesta Cofidis 41'18"
23   Leonardo Piepoli iBanesto.com 46'45"
24   Manuel Calvente Team CSC 47'54"
25   Aitor Osa iBanesto.com 49'39"

References edit

  1. ^ "Ciclismo Vuelta a España – Clasificaciones" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 29 September 2003. p. 51. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2020.
  2. ^ "58th Vuelta a España". Cycling News. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  3. ^ "58ème Vuelta a España 2003". Memoire du cyclisme. Archived from the original on 12 January 2005.

External links edit