2003 Vuelta a España

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)
 TeamSpain 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

List of stages[2][3]
StageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner
16 SeptemberGijón – Gijón28 km (17 mi) Team time trialONCE–Eroski
27 SeptemberGijónCangas de Onís148 km (92 mi)  Luis Pérez (ESP)
38 SeptemberCangas de OnísSantander154.3 km (96 mi)  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
49 SeptemberSantanderBurgos151 km (94 mi)  Unai Etxebarria (VEN)
510 SeptemberSoriaZaragoza166.7 km (104 mi)  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
611 SeptemberZaragoza – Zaragoza43.8 km (27 mi) Individual time trial  Isidro Nozal (ESP)
712 SeptemberHuescaCauterets (France)190 km (118 mi)  Michael Rasmussen (DEN)
813 SeptemberCauteretsPla de Beret/Val d'Aran166 km (103 mi)  Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)
914 SeptemberVielhaEnvalira (Andorra)174.8 km (109 mi)  Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
1015 SeptemberAndorraSabadell194 km (121 mi)  Erik Zabel (GER)
16 SeptemberRest day
1117 SeptemberUtielCuenca162 km (101 mi)  Erik Zabel (GER)
1218 SeptemberCuencaAlbacete168.8 km (105 mi)  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
1319 SeptemberAlbacete – Albacete53.3 km (33 mi) Individual time trial  Isidro Nozal (ESP)
1420 SeptemberAlbaceteValdepeñas167.4 km (104 mi)  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
1521 SeptemberValdepeñasLa Pandera172.1 km (107 mi)  Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
22 SeptemberRest day
1623 SeptemberJaénSierra Nevada162 km (101 mi)  Félix Cárdenas (COL)
1724 SeptemberGranadaCórdoba188.4 km (117 mi)  David Millar (GBR)
1825 SeptemberLas Rozas – Las Rozas143.8 km (89 mi)  Pedro Díaz Lobato (ESP)
1926 SeptemberAlcobendasCollado Villalba164 km (102 mi)  Filippo Simeoni (ITA)
2027 SeptemberSan Lorenzo de El Escorial – Alto de Abantos [es]11.2 km (7 mi) Individual time trial  Roberto Heras (ESP)
2128 SeptemberMadrid – Madrid148.5 km (92 mi)  Alessandro Petacchi (ITA)
Total2,925 km (1,818 mi)

Jersey Progress

StageWinnerGeneral classificationPoints classificationMountains classificationCombination classificationTeam classification
1ONCE–EroskiIgor González de GaldeanoIgor González de GaldeanoJan HruškaIgor González de GaldeanoONCE–Eroski
2Luis PérezJoaquim RodríguezJoaquim RodríguezLuis PérezLuis Pérez
3Alessandro Petacchi
4Unai EtxebarriaIsidro NozalDavid EtxebarriaFélix CárdenasIsidro Nozal
5Alessandro PetacchiAlessandro Petacchi
6Isidro Nozal
7Michael Rasmussen
8Joaquim RodríguezJoaquim RodríguezJoan Horrach
9Alejandro ValverdeIsidro NozalFélix Cárdenas
10Erik ZabelAlessandro PetacchiAlejandro Valverde
11Erik ZabelErik Zabel
12Alessandro PetacchiIsidro Nozal
13Isidro Nozal
14Alessandro PetacchiAlessandro Petacchi
15Alejandro ValverdeErik ZabelAlejandro Valverde
16Félix Cárdenas
17David Millar
18Pedro Diaz Lobato
19Filippo Simeoni
20Roberto HerasRoberto HerasAlejandro ValverdeiBanesto.com
21Alessandro PetacchiErik Zabel
FinalRoberto HerasErik ZabelFélix CárdenasAlejandro ValverdeiBanesto.com

General classification

RankRiderTeamTime
1 Roberto HerasU.S. Postal 69h31'52"
2 Isidro NozalONCE–Eroski'28"
3 Alejandro ValverdeKelme–Costa Blanca2'25"
4 Igor González de GaldeanoONCE–Eroski3'27"
5 Francisco ManceboiBanesto.com4'47"
6 Manuel BeltránU.S. Postal5'51"
7 Michael RasmussenRabobank5'56"
8 Félix CárdenasLabarca 2-Cafe Baque6'33"
9 Unai OsaiBanesto.com6'52"
10 Luis PérezCofidis7'56"
11 Santos GonzálezDomina Vacanze–Elitron9'08"
12 Óscar SevillaKelme–Costa Blanca9'52"
13 Michele ScarponiDomina Vacanze–Elitron10'13"
14 Marcos SerranoTeam ONCE12'51"
15 Félix GarciaTeam Bianchi14'18"
16 Txema Del OlmoMilaneza–MSS14'38"
17 Óscar PereiroPhonak Hearing Systems17'05"
18 Iker FloresEuskaltel–Euskadi18'31"
19 Guido TrentinCofidis29'34"
20 Josep JufreColchon Relax–Fuenlabrada33'30"
21 Dario FrigoFassa Bortolo40'19"
22 Íñigo CuestaCofidis41'18"
23 Leonardo PiepoliiBanesto.com46'45"
24 Manuel CalventeTeam CSC47'54"
25 Aitor OsaiBanesto.com49'39"

References