The 46th Edition Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a long-distance bicyclestage race and one of the three grand tours, was held from 29 April to 19 May 1991. It consisted of 21 stages covering a total of 3,215.5 km (1,998 mi),[1] and was won by Melchor Mauri of the ONCEcycling team.[2][3]
In the end Melchor Mauri was the revelation of the race and beat the future winner of the Tour de France Miguel Indurain in all the time trials. Indurain was forced to ride an aggressive race in the mountain stages but Mauri was able to defend his lead.
The opening stage consisted, on this occasion, of a three-man team time trial. The winning trio consisted of ONCE's Melchor Mauri, Anselmo Fuerte and Herminio Díaz-Zabala. Coupled with ONCE's win in the following day's Team Time Trial, meant the leader's jersey alternated between these three riders for the first week of the race. The team time trial would turn out to have a large impact as Induráin lost almost two minutes to Mauri on this stage.
Stage 8, a 47 km (29 mi) individual time trial, was the first decisive stage of the Vuelta. Riders such as Laudelino Cubino and Anselmo Fuerte lost most of their chances that day. Mauri increased his lead by winning the stage, a little less than a minute ahead of Induráin.
The Pyrenean stages were awaited with anticipation, to see if ONCE's Catalunyan rider would be capable of withstanding the high mountains. However, the queen stage ending at Pla de Beret had to be suspended due to adverse weather. Russian rider Ivan Ivanov won the 12th stage to the mountaintop ski resort at Cerler, but Mauri held on, losing less than a minute to Induráin.
Stage 14 was a mountain time trial finishing at the ski station in Valdezcaray, where Parra and Herrera set the leading times. Mauri once again put in a good performance, gaining more time on Induráin and leading the general classification ahead of his teammate Lejarreta, Echave and Induráin.
The third and final week of the race featured two high mountain stages in the Cordillera Cantábrica mountain range: the historic ascensions to the Alto del Naranco and the Covadonga Lakes. Herrera and Cubino took the stages, but Mauri managed to hang on. Mauri lost some time, but not enough to lose his overall lead. At this point he was the leader and there was still one time trial to go.
Mauri didn't disappoint, winning the Valladolid time trial ahead of Induráin by over a minute to seal his Vuelta win. He would never again perform at such a high standard. Induráin finished second overall, and Lejarreta third.
^The opening stage was competed as a three-man time trial.
References
^. Memoire du cyclisme (in French). Archived from the original on 11 August 2004.
^"Vuelta Ciclista a España, Clasificaciones" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 20 May 1991. p. 44. (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2021.
^"Vuelta Ciclista a España, Clasificaciones" (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo. 20 May 1991. p. 45. (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2021.
^"1991 » 46th Vuelta a Espana". procyclingstats.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
External links
La Vuelta (Official site in Spanish, English, and French)
January 25, 2023
1991, vuelta, españa, 46th, edition, vuelta, españa, tour, spain, long, distance, bicycle, stage, race, three, grand, tours, held, from, april, 1991, consisted, stages, covering, total, melchor, mauri, once, cycling, team, race, detailsdates29, april, maystage. The 46th Edition Vuelta a Espana Tour of Spain a long distance bicycle stage race and one of the three grand tours was held from 29 April to 19 May 1991 It consisted of 21 stages covering a total of 3 215 5 km 1 998 mi 1 and was won by Melchor Mauri of the ONCE cycling team 2 3 1991 Vuelta a EspanaRace detailsDates29 April 19 MayStages21 including one split stageDistance3 215 5 km 1 998 mi Winning time82h 48 07 ResultsWinner Melchor Mauri ESP ONCE Second Miguel Indurain ESP Banesto Third Marino Lejarreta ESP ONCE Points Uwe Raab GER PDM Mountains Luis Herrera COL Ryalcao Postobon Youth Oliverio Rincon COL Kelme CAM Combination Federico Echave ESP CLAS Cajastur Sprints Miguel Angel Iglesias ESP Puertas Mavisa TeamONCE 19901992 Contents 1 Race preview and favorites 2 Route and stages 3 Race overview 4 Results 4 1 Final General Classification 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksRace preview and favorites EditMiguel Indurain Laudelino Cubino and Anselmo Fuerte were the Spanish favourites for the race Defending champion Marco Giovannetti was also a favourite together with Steven Rooks Raul Alcala and the Colombians Fabio Parra and Luis Lucho Herrera In the end Melchor Mauri was the revelation of the race and beat the future winner of the Tour de France Miguel Indurain in all the time trials Indurain was forced to ride an aggressive race in the mountain stages but Mauri was able to defend his lead Route and stages EditStages and winners 4 Stage Date Course Winner General Classification leader1 29 April Merida TTT nb 1 Melchor Mauri ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 2a 30 April Merida to Caceres Michel Zanoli NED Anselmo Fuerte ESP 2b 30 April Montijo to Badajoz TTT ONCE ESP Anselmo Fuerte ESP 3 1 May Badajoz to Seville Jesper Skibby DEN Herminio Diaz Zabala ESP 4 2 May Seville to Jaen Jesus Cruz Martin ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 5 3 May Linares to Albacete Uwe Raab GER Melchor Mauri ESP 6 4 May Albacete to Valencia Jean Paul van Poppel NED Melchor Mauri ESP 7 5 May Palma de Mallorca Jesper Skibby DEN Melchor Mauri ESP 8 6 May Cala d Or ITT Melchor Mauri ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 9 7 May Sant Cugat del Valles to Lloret de Mar Jean Paul van Poppel NED Melchor Mauri ESP 10 8 May Lloret de Mar to Andorra la Vella Andorra Guido Bontempi ITA Melchor Mauri ESP 11 9 May Andorra la Vella Andorra to Pla de Beret Stage cancelled Melchor Mauri ESP 12 10 May Bossost to Cerler Ivan Ivanov URS Melchor Mauri ESP 13 11 May Benasque to Zaragoza Jean Paul van Poppel NED Melchor Mauri ESP 14 12 May Ezcaray to Valdezcaray ITT Fabio Parra COL Melchor Mauri ESP 15 13 May Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Santander Guido Bontempi ITA Melchor Mauri ESP 16 14 May Santander to Lagos de Covadonga Luis Herrera COL Melchor Mauri ESP 17 15 May Cangas de Onis to Alto del Naranco Laudelino Cubino ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 18 16 May Leon to Valladolid Antonio Miguel Diaz ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 19 17 May Valladolid ITT Melchor Mauri ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 20 18 May Palazuelos de Eresma Jesus Montoya ESP Melchor Mauri ESP 21 19 May Collado Villalba to Madrid Jean Paul van Poppel NED Melchor Mauri ESP Race overview EditThe opening stage consisted on this occasion of a three man team time trial The winning trio consisted of ONCE s Melchor Mauri Anselmo Fuerte and Herminio Diaz Zabala Coupled with ONCE s win in the following day s Team Time Trial meant the leader s jersey alternated between these three riders for the first week of the race The team time trial would turn out to have a large impact as Indurain lost almost two minutes to Mauri on this stage Stage 8 a 47 km 29 mi individual time trial was the first decisive stage of the Vuelta Riders such as Laudelino Cubino and Anselmo Fuerte lost most of their chances that day Mauri increased his lead by winning the stage a little less than a minute ahead of Indurain The Pyrenean stages were awaited with anticipation to see if ONCE s Catalunyan rider would be capable of withstanding the high mountains However the queen stage ending at Pla de Beret had to be suspended due to adverse weather Russian rider Ivan Ivanov won the 12th stage to the mountaintop ski resort at Cerler but Mauri held on losing less than a minute to Indurain Stage 14 was a mountain time trial finishing at the ski station in Valdezcaray where Parra and Herrera set the leading times Mauri once again put in a good performance gaining more time on Indurain and leading the general classification ahead of his teammate Lejarreta Echave and Indurain The third and final week of the race featured two high mountain stages in the Cordillera Cantabrica mountain range the historic ascensions to the Alto del Naranco and the Covadonga Lakes Herrera and Cubino took the stages but Mauri managed to hang on Mauri lost some time but not enough to lose his overall lead At this point he was the leader and there was still one time trial to go Mauri didn t disappoint winning the Valladolid time trial ahead of Indurain by over a minute to seal his Vuelta win He would never again perform at such a high standard Indurain finished second overall and Lejarreta third Results EditFinal General Classification Edit Rank Rider Team Time1 Melchor Mauri ONCE 82h 48 07s2 Miguel Indurain Banesto a 2 52s3 Marino Lejarreta ONCE a 3 11s4 Federico Echave CLAS Cajastur a 3 54s5 Fabio Parra Amaya Seguros a 5 38s6 Pello Ruiz Cabestany CLAS Cajastur a 6 50s7 Raul Alcala PDM Concorde a 6 57s8 Piotr Ugrumov Seur a 10 43s9 Steven Rooks Buckler a 12 09s10 Oliverio Rincon Kelme a 12 11s11 Eduardo Chozas ONCE12 Tom Cordes PDM Ultima Concorde13 Luis Herrera Ryalco Postobon14 Ignacio Gaston Crespo CLAS Cajastur15 Laudelino Cubino Gonzalez Amaya16 Jon Unzaga Bombin Seur17 Udo Bolts Telekom Mercedes Merckx18 Marco Giovannetti Gatorade Chateau d Ax19 Ivan Ivanov Seur20 Fernando Martinez De Guerenu Puertas Mavisa21 Francisco Javier Mauleon CLAS Cajastur22 Alvaro Meija Castrillon Ryalco Postobon23 Jesus Montoya Alarcon Amaya24 Fabrice Philipot Banesto25 Gerardo Moncada Ryalco PostobonNotes Edit The opening stage was competed as a three man time trial References Edit 46eme Vuelta a Espana 1991 Memoire du cyclisme in French Archived from the original on 11 August 2004 Vuelta Ciclista a Espana Clasificaciones PDF El Mundo Deportivo 20 May 1991 p 44 Archived PDF from the original on 3 October 2021 Vuelta Ciclista a Espana Clasificaciones PDF El Mundo Deportivo 20 May 1991 p 45 Archived PDF from the original on 3 October 2021 1991 46th Vuelta a Espana procyclingstats com Retrieved 11 October 2017 External links EditLa Vuelta Official site in Spanish English and French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1991 Vuelta a Espana amp oldid 1107586736, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
