Indurain loses another minute in classic climbing stage
By Andrew Hood

If Miguel Indurain seemed a little off his form in Tuesday's time trial, there was no doubt Thursday--in the Vuelta a España's toughest stage yet--that the five-time Tour de France champion isn't in top shape.

The 32-year-old Indurain lost another minute to overall leader Alex Zulle (ONCE) in the hardest climb to date in the 22-stage Tour of Spain, finishing 24th in the 12th stage and dropping to third place overall, 2:04 behind Zulle.

Defending champion Laurent Jalabert finished just five seconds behind Zulle and moves into second overall at 1:17 behind the Swiss rider, who's looking to win the first major stage race of his career.

In the most exciting stage yet in the 51st edition of the Tour of Spain, a four-man break went out at the 71-kilometer mark of the 191-kilometer (118-mile) stage that was rife with quad-busting climbs, diving descents, and wind-blasted flats.

The quartet held the lead over three Category 3 climbs leading up to the Category 1 climb at Alto de Naranco, a steep hill 1,200 feet above the bustling streets of Oviedo.

As thousands of fans cheered on the climbers, stage winner Daniele Nardello (Mapei) grabbed Motorola's Andrea Peron with his arm as the rival Italians sprinted for the finish.

Peron, who finished second with the same time, was enraged with Nardello and challenged the win to UCI officials.

"He shouldn't get the win. He hit me with his arm and kept me from winning," said Peron, who was screaming in Italian as journalists, racers, fans, and race and team officials ran helter-skelter in the crowded finish line area.

UCI officials later reviewed tape of the final sprint and ruled that Nardello gets the win, in part, because Peron was blocking Nardello dangerously into the fence when Nardello grabbed Peron.

Nardello was penalized 10 seconds in his general classification time, but the three-year pro gets to keep the first major stage race win of his career.

"Peron was blocking me. I don't feel sorry for him," said Nardello, who attacked with Peron, Telekom's Peter Meinert, and Saeco's Angelo Canzonieri. Meinert and Canzonieri finished third and fourth, respectively, 14 seconds behind Nardello and Peron.

Indurain was with the main pack of riders as they started up the steep, winding road lined with thousands of fans caught up in "Indurain-mania."

Indurain is racing in his first Vuelta since 1991, and Spanish racing fans are turning out in force to show their adulation for this national hero. Fans mob Indurain wherever he goes and he's the focus of press coverage in all of Spain's many sports-only daily newspapers.

But Indurain has yet to show the form that put him at the top of the cycling world for most of the 1990s, during which he's won five straight Tours de France, two Giros d'Italia, and an Olympic gold medal in the individual time trial.

Indurain couldn't hold pace as riders attacked the final climb up 1,200 feet over just two miles with grades as steep as 10 percent.

Looking drained and weary after fighting rain and winds throughout the long stage, Indurain fell back as Festina-Lotus captain Laurent Dufaux attacked with one mile to go in the stage.

Zulle, who came on strong to finish first in the main group, countered. Jalabert went out with the pair and 13 others followed, including American Bobby Julich (Motorola), who keeps his climber's jersey by just one point.

Julich is having the best stage race of his career. Finishing 16th in the stage just 33 seconds behind Zulle, the American moves into 10th overall.

"I'm feeling really strong," Julich said after the race. "I don't know if I'll work to keep the climber's jersey in these tougher stages. I think the overall classification is more important."

Indurain, however, wasn't with the attacking group. Grinding slowly in his easiest gears, Indurain looked flat. Banesto teammate Jose Maria Jimenez pulled back to help the ailing Indurain, who similarly bonked in the fateful climbing stages at this year's Tour de France.

Covered in mud and sweat, a proud Indurain finished 1:02 behind Zulle and quickly headed for his private van without speaking to the media. He later was rushed down to an awaiting helicopter where he was flown back to the Banesto headquarters in Oviedo.

AKI's Stefano Faustini, Mapei's Tony Rominger, Polti's Davide Rebellin and Mauro Gianetti, and Motorola's Axel Merckx all finished ahead of Indurain.

ONCE solidified its team position atop the standings. The squad now has Indurain surrounded in the top five: Zulle first, Jalabert second, Indurain third, 1991 champion Melchor Mauri in fourth at 3:09, and Australian Neil Stephens in fifth at 3:55.

"We can't say we're going to win the Vuelta for sure, but with Zulle and the team in a strong position, we feel confident we'll have the jersey all the way to Madrid," said Manolo Saiz, director sportif for the ONCE team.

"It wasn't our plan to attack, but to get more time on Indurain, that's great," Saiz said. "Indurain is still a great champion and we view him as our top threat. You never know what he can do."

The 12th stage started ominously. With strong winds again welcoming the peloton, several riders tried unsuccessfully to attack early on.

At the 22-kilometer mark, several riders went down hard in the middle of the peloton, with Telekom's Michael Anderson suffering the worst injuries. Several quit right then, including Kelme's strong climber Hernan Buenahora, Motorola's Kaspars Ozers, and MG's Nicola Loda.

Also dropping out was four-day overall leader Fabio Baldato (MG) at the 95-kilometer mark, the biggest name to quit during a stage that saw 11 racers pull out of the Vuelta.

After several false starts, the decisive moment came at the 71-kilometer mark, when Meinert, Peron, Nardello, and Canzonieri made a break and held it. At the 87-kilometer mark, after two hours of racing across the windswept mesas of central Spain, the four built up a four-minute lead. They never looked back.

At the first of three Category 3 climbs, the four had a 6:42 lead on the peloton. ONCE was working hard at the front of the main group of riders, but the four put down the hammer on the descent. The lead stood by 6:52 at the day's second climb at the 171-kilometer mark.

At the final Category 3 climb at 179 kilometers, Jalabert and four other riders pulled out of the peloton and gave chase. They narrowed the gap down to 4:53 before pulling back to the pack.

After topping out at the rugged, rock-strewn Cantabricia Mountains, the course dropped down to nearly sea level and into Obiedo, another Spanish city in the throes of a seemingly never-ending string of fiestas throughout this lively country.

At the start of the climb, the four were away for good, with a 3:40 lead. That's when the fireworks began and Indurain's hopes of winning the only major stage race he's never won began to slip away.

Sitting more than two minutes back and surrounded by ONCE riders, Indurain will find it tough to make up the time. Still, several tough climbing stages remain and the final time trial the day before the Vuelta ends September 29 in Madrid could become crucial.

Friday's 13th stage winds along the northern Atlantic Coast of Spain's lush Asturias region 159 kilometers (98 miles) from Obiedo to Lagos de Covadonga, high in the spectacular Picos de Europa, mountains renowned for great trout fishing and excellent rock climbing.

The stage starts flat but soon heads over a Category 3 climb at the 98-kilometer mark, a Category 1 climb at the 118-kilometer mark, ending with the Vuelta's first beyond-category climb at the finish.

Stage 12 results

Andrew Hood is in Spain covering the Vuelta for Outside Online