Vuelta opens with all eyes on Indurain
By Andrew Hood

Somebody remind the Spanish that there are another 198 cyclists among the sweating bodies under the hot Iberian sun. No one seemed to notice in the opening stage Saturday of the 51st Vuelta Espana, cycling's third-most important stage race behind the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.

With the famous profile of five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain in the Vuelta for the first time since 1991, the Spanish media and racing fans took little notice of nearly everyone else.

Italian Biagio Conte won the opening stage of the Tour of Spain in a four-way photo finish, but for the Spanish, the Vuelta this year is Miguel's Vuelta.

"He is the best cyclist in the world and it's magnificent to have the chance to see him race," said Fernando Gonzales, a waiter at a local coffee shop who left work early for a chance to see "el rey" (the king) in person.

Thousands joined him along the broad, tree-lined boulevards of Valencia, Spain's third-largest city that was transformed by banners and signs--all cheering for Indurain.

Beloved by fans as a national hero who brought Spanish cycling to the top of the world, the Olympic time trial champion has never won the Vuelta title.

If Spanish newspapers are any indication--all carried large, full-color pictures of Indurain on their covers in Saturday's editions--the 32-year-old is the hands-down favorite to win this year, although he admits he's racing only because his team is forcing him to.

"Even though Indurain isn't at his top form, he still has to be considered the favorite," said Pedro Delgado, a former racer who won the Tour de France in 1988.

Indurain finished 11th in Saturday's stage, but you'd think he'd won the presidency by the reaction of the cheering, singing fans. For Indurain, the Vuelta is a title that's eluded him throughout his incredible career. The 32-year-old has raced in eight Vueltas--finishing four--but has never won his national road race.

"It depends on how I feel. I want to do well, even though I would like to feel better. I intend to make the most of it," said Indurain, whose best Vuelta finish was second in 1991.

"If I can't go as strong as the others, I will try to win a stage," he said. The 22-stage race through Spain opened Saturday with big crowds, hot temperatures, and blazing speeds over the 162-kilometer (100-mile) circuit course around Valencia.

Italy's Biagio Conte (Scrigno) won a photo finish by the narrowest of margins, barely edging Mapei's Tom Steels of Belgium and Italy's Giovanni Lombardi (Polti) to take the stage in a field sprint finish.

Spain's Igor Galdeano (Euskadi) attacked early at the 14-kilometer mark and built up nearly a 10-minute lead halfway through the flat stage that only had one category three climb along the way.

Led by Gewiss, Mapei, and Cantina Tollo riders, he was swallowed up by a charging peloton with less than 40 kilometers left. Several riders tried to lead out, but were caught before the peloton roared into Valencia in a classic field sprint.

Conte won the stage and crossed the line barely ahead of Steels, Lombardi, and teammate Mirko Rossato of Italy. The four-man photo finish was so close it took judges nearly 10 minutes to annoint a winner.

The three-week Vuelta continues Sunday with a 210-kilometer (130-mile) rolling stage from Valencia to Cuenca, high on the central plateau of Spain.

Andrew Hood is in Spain covering the Vuelta for Outside Online

Stage 1 results