Vuelta a España 1998 - 19 Segovia Heras

Vuelta a España 1998 - 19, Avila - Segovia, 170.4 kms

Puerto de la Paramera 1400m
Alto de Navas del Rey 710m
Alto de la Cruz Verde 1260m
Puerto de Navacerrada 1860m

1. Roberto Heras (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 4.13.26 (40.342)
2. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 0.30
3. Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.30
4. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 0.31
5. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Cantina Tollo 0.31
6. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas 0.31
7. Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) Banesto 0.31
8. Alex Zülle (Fra) Festina-Lotus 0.31
9. Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 0.31
10. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros 0.31
11. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal 0.31
12. Niki Aebersold (Swi) Post Swiss Team 0.31
13. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 0.31
14. José Maria Jiminez Sastre (Spa) Banesto 0.31
15. Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Banesto 0.31
16. José Joaquim Castelblanco (Col) Avianca-Telecom 0.31
17. Fabrice Gougot (Fra) Casino 0.31
18. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina-Lotus 0.31
19. Juan Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 0.31
20. Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) Banesto 0.31
21. Mirko Gualdi (Ita) Polti 0.41
22. Ludo Dierickxsens (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 2.51
23. Frédéric Bessy (Fra) Casino 2.51
24. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Festina-Lotus 2.51
25. Inaki Aiarzaguena Urkidi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.51
26. Iñigo Chaurreau Bernadez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.51
27. David Plaza Romero (Spa) Cofidis 2.51
28. Pascal Chanteur (Fra) Casino 2.51
29. José Ramon Uriarte Zubero (Spa) Festina-Lotus 2.51
30. Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Mapei-Bricobi 2.51

GC after Stage 19

1. Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) Banesto 83.14.13
2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 0.22
3. José Maria Jiminez Sastre (Spa) Banesto 0.31
4. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 0.37
5. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 2.05
6. Alex Zülle (Fra) Festina-Lotus 2.12
7. Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 2.17
8. Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 3.03
9. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal 3.20
10. José Joaquim Castelblanco (Col) Avianca-Telecom 4.24

Stage Report

Roberto Heras finally won a stage in the Vuelta after attacking with 25 kms to go from a group containing all the top riders on the GC. He finished with his Kelme teammate and big threat for overall race victory, Fernando Escartin. They finished 31 seconds up on the chasing group which contained Abraham Olano. The finally refers to the fact that Heras has already come close in this year's Vuelta - two 2nds and a 3rd place.
Jose Maria Jimenez who had previously been able to counter any attempts by the Kelme team to take time out of Olano did not figure today and finished with Olano. He told the press that he thought the real attacks would come on Friday when the peloton has to contend with the 1880 metre Alto de Navacerrada. Today they did it once tomorrow twice! The stage finish is on the top the second time up. Jimenez said: "It will be a lot tougher to control. Today the most important thing was to keep things together." Jalabert, particularly will be threatening as he is only 22 seconds in arrears.

In part, this explains why the Banesto team let Heras go so easily. He is not a threat to GC. However, Escartin is and the 31 seconds he regained leaves him only 37 seconds behind Olano in third place on GC. However, one of his best guards Jose Gonzalez is out of the Vuelta after being involved in a nasty crash.

For Jalabert's part he knows that if he wants to emulate his 1995 victory he will have to go for it. He said later: "I did not have a good day today, but neither did Olano. Tomorrow is my last chance. I have to attack, because if Olano starts the time trial wearing the leader's yellow jersey he will keep it until Madrid."