1995 Vuelta a España

1995 Vuelta a España
Race details
Dates2–24 September
Stages21 + Prologue
Distance3,750 km (2,330 mi)
Winning time95h 30' 33"
Results
Winner  Laurent Jalabert (FRA) (ONCE)
  Second  Abraham Olano (ESP) (Mapei–GB–Latexco)
  Third  Johan Bruyneel (BEL) (ONCE)

Points  Laurent Jalabert (FRA) (ONCE)
Mountains  Laurent Jalabert (FRA) (ONCE)
Sprints  Steffen Wesemann (GER) (Team Telekom)
  Team ONCE
← 1994
1996 →

The 50th Edition Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the three grand tours, was held from 2 September to 24 September 1995. It consisted of 21 stages covering a total of 3,750 km (2,330 mi), and was won by Laurent Jalabert of the ONCE cycling team. Jalabert won the three classification competitions – the general classification, the points classification and the mountains classification being only the third rider (after Eddy Merckx in the 1968 Giro d'Italia and the 1969 Tour de France, and Tony Rominger in the 1993 Vuelta a España) to win all three major classifications in a Grand Tour.[1][2][3][4]

The 1995 Vuelta was the first edition that was not held in April and May, as had previously been the case, but instead in September as the last of the three Grand Tours of the year. This was done to attract more high-profile riders, who before had preferred to ride the Giro d'Italia or the Tour de France, which both took place very closely to the Vuelta's timeslot.[5]

Background

The Mapei squad arrived in disarray, after one of their lead riders, Fernando Escartín, announced that he would move to Kelme the following year. He was therefore left out of the team, which was led by Abraham Olano. The starting field also included Laurent Jalabert, Alex Zülle, former winner Melcior Mauri (all ONCE), Marco Pantani (Carrera Jeans–Tassoni) and a then unknown Jan Ullrich (Team Telekom) in his first ever Grand Tour appearance.[6]

Route and stages

Stage characteristics and winners
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
P 2 September Zaragoza 7 km (4.3 mi) Individual time trial  Abraham Olano (ESP)
1 3 September Zaragoza to Logroño 186.6 km (115.9 mi) Plain stage  Nicola Minali (ITA)
2 4 September San Asensio to Santander 223.5 km (138.9 mi) Plain stage  Gianluca Pianegonda (ITA)
3 5 September Santander to Alto del Naranco 206.0 km (128.0 mi) Hilly stage  Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
4 6 September Tapia de Casariego to A Coruña 82.6 km (51.3 mi) Plain stage  Marcel Wüst (GER)
5 7 September A Coruña to Ourense 179.8 km (111.7 mi) Plain stage  Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
6 8 September Ourense to Zamora 264.0 km (164.0 mi) Plain stage  Nicola Minali (ITA)
7 9 September Salamanca 41.0 km (25.5 mi) Individual time trial  Abraham Olano (ESP)
8 10 September Salamanca to Ávila 219.8 km (136.6 mi) Stage with mountain(s)  Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
9 11 September Ávila to Palazuelos de Eresma 122.5 km (76.1 mi) Stage with mountain(s)  Jesper Skibby (DEN)
10 12 September Córdoba to Seville 208.5 km (129.6 mi) Plain stage  Jeroen Blijlevens (NED)
11 13 September Seville to Marbella 162.5 km (101.0 mi) Plain stage  Nicola Minali (ITA)
12 14 September Marbella to Sierra Nevada 238.5 km (148.2 mi) Stage with mountain(s)  Bert Dietz (GER)
13 15 September Olula del Río to Murcia 181.0 km (112.5 mi) Hilly stage  Christian Henn (GER)
14 16 September Elche to Valencia 207.0 km (128.6 mi) Plain stage  Marcel Wüst (GER)
15 17 September Barcelona to Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys 154.0 km (95.7 mi) Hilly stage  Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
18 September Rest day
16 19 September Tàrrega to Pla de Beret 197.3 km (122.6 mi) Stage with mountain(s)  Alex Zülle (SUI)
17 20 September Salardu (Naut Aran) to Luz Ardiden (France) 179.2 km (111.3 mi) Stage with mountain(s)  Laurent Jalabert (FRA)
18 21 September Luz-Saint-Sauveur (France) to Sabiñánigo 157.8 km (98.1 mi) Stage with mountain(s)  Asiat Saitov (RUS)
19 22 September Sabiñánigo to Calatayud 227.7 km (141.5 mi) Plain stage  Adriano Baffi (ITA)
20 23 September Alcalá de Henares 41.6 km (25.8 mi) Individual time trial  Abraham Olano (ESP)
21 24 September Alcalá de Henares to Madrid 147.5 km (91.7 mi) Plain stage  Marcel Wüst (GER)
Total 3,750 km (2,330 mi)

Race overview

The race started with a prologue time trial in Zaragoza, won by Olano, two seconds ahead of Jalabert. The latter would move into the leader's golden jersey after stage 3, based on a stage win at Alto del Naranco. Olano moved closer in the general classification after the stage-7 time trial in Salamanca, but only gained 23 seconds on Jalabert due to a fall and a puncture along the route. On stage 8 to Ávila, Jalabert attacked almost from the beginning. Olano, left isolated, lost 4:40 minutes and all hopes of winning the Vuelta. Over the course of the two time trials, Olano gained 2:42 minutes on Jalabert, enough to make up for his losses on all stages but the one to Ávila. From this point on, Jalabert only attacked the field close to the finish line, collecting few advantages and some bonus seconds.[6] His lead was so comfortable that he was able to abort an attack on the way to Sierra Nevada and gift the stage win to escapee Bert Dietz (Team Telekom).[7]

Classification leadership

Classification leadership by stage[2]
Stage Winner General classification
A golden jersey
Points classification
A blue jersey
Mountains classification
A green jersey with blue polka dots
P Abraham Olano Abraham Olano Abraham Olano not awarded
1 Nicola Minali Laurent Jalabert Marco Artunghi
2 Gianluca Pianegonda Gianluca Pianegonda Laurent Jalabert
3 Laurent Jalabert Laurent Jalabert
4 Marcel Wüst
5 Laurent Jalabert
6 Nicola Minali
7 Abraham Olano
8 Laurent Jalabert
9 Jesper Skibby
10 Jeroen Blijlevens
11 Nicola Minali
12 Bert Dietz
13 Christian Henn
14 Marcel Wüst
15 Laurent Jalabert
16 Alex Zülle
17 Laurent Jalabert
18 Asiat Saitov
19 Adriano Baffi
20 Abraham Olano
21 Marcel Wüst
Final Laurent Jalabert Laurent Jalabert Laurent Jalabert

Final classification

Rank Rider Team Time
1
 Laurent Jalabert (FRA) ONCE 95h 30' 33s
2
 Abraham Olano (ESP) Mapei–GB–Latexco 4' 22s
3
 Johan Bruyneel (BEL) ONCE 6' 48s
4
 Melcior Mauri (ESP) ONCE 8' 04s
5
 Richard Virenque (FRA) Festina–Lotus 11' 38s
6
 Roberto Pistore (ITA) Polti–Vaporetto 11' 54s
7
 David García (ESP) Banesto 13' 50s
8
 Daniel Clavero (ESP) Artiach 15' 03s
9
 Michele Bartoli (ITA) Mercatone Uno–Saeco 19' 14s
10
 Stefano Della Santa (ITA) Mapei–GB 19' 42s

References

Citations
  1. ^ "Vuelta 1995 - Equipos" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 1 September 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Aún ho estoy preparado para con quistar el Tóur" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 25 September 1995. p. 50. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Vuelta 1995 - Palmarés y records" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 1 September 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Vuelta 1995 - Clasificaciones" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 25 September 1995. p. 51. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Did the Vuelta's date change hurt the race?". cyclingnews.com. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  6. ^ a b Arribas, Carlos (5 September 1997). "Aquel septiembre del 95". El País. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  7. ^ Le Touzet, Jean-Louis (15 September 1995). "Laurent Jalabert, grand seigneur de la VueltaIl avait l'étape dans la poche, mais laisse gagner Dietz". Libération. Retrieved 20 July 2018.