1996 Vuelta a España
Zulle wins in Swiss sweep of Tour of Spain;
Steels wins final stage
By Andrew Hood
 |
Alex Zulle
|
Bad luck finally ended for Switzerland's Alex Zulle Sunday when the ONCE rider stood atop the Vuelta a España's podium for his first career win in a major stage race.
The perennial also-ran, Zulle fought off attacks by Laurent Dufaux in the final days to win the Tour of Spain Sunday when the 22-stage race ended with a field sprint in downtown Madrid.
Mapei's Tom Steels won his second Vuelta stage this year, edging four-time stage-winner Nicola Minali (Gewiss), who crossed the line second, to end the final major stage race of the 1996 calendar.
"This is the greatest day in my career. It feels great to be the winner after coming so close so many times," said Zulle, 28, who was second to Miguel Indurain in the 1995 Tour de France and second behind Tony Rominger in the 1993 Vuelta.
"I want to thank my team and my coaches for supporting me through the Vuelta. It was a very hard race, very competitive, and I struggled through some of the days, but we made it," Zulle said.
The Swiss dominated the Vuelta, but compatriots Dufaux (Festina-Lotus) and Rominger (Mapei) couldn't break the ONCE stronghold and finished second and third, respectively, behind Zulle.
The Vuelta was full of firsts. It was the first win for Zulle, the first podium finish for Dufaux in a major stage race, and the first top-10 finish for American Bobby Julich in a major stage race.
Despite a weakened ONCE team stricken with stomach infections in the final days, Zulle powered through Saturday's final time trial to cement his lead going into Sunday's final stage.
Zulle wins with a time of 97 hours, 31 minutes and 46 seconds. Dufaux finished at 6:23 back and Rominger at 8:29 back. Italy's Roberto Pistore (MG) was fourth at 10:13 back and Stefano Faustini (AKI) was fifth overall.
The average speed over the race was 40.740 kilometers per hour (25.258 mph), one of the fastest Vueltas ever.
The pace was blazing from the start, with sprinters holding court in the Vuelta's opening nine stages. MG's Fabio Baldato took the lead in the fifth stage on time bonuses and held it until Zulle took it for good in the Avila time trial in the 10th stage.
The highlight of the Vuelta was the return of Miguel Indurain (Banesto) to his national tour for the first time since finishing second in 1991 behind Melchor Mauri.
Indurain was greeted as a returning hero by adoring Spanish fans wherever he went. After winning five straight Tours de France (1991-95), Indurain failed to win a record sixth Tour in 1996 and entered the Vuelta reluctantly.
He was second after the Avila time trial, but pulled out during the Convadonga stage in the Picos de Europa in northern Spain in the 13th stage. Drained and tired, Indurain retreated to his seaside chalet in Spain's Costa del Sol to contemplate his future.
Indurain hasn't decided whether he'll return next year. He'll skip the world championships, but has offers from Banesto and ONCE to return for a 1997 Tour de France assault.
With ONCE dominating the race through the Pyrenees, Spanish riders tried in vain to win a stage. None won a stage and none challenged for the overall lead.
In the end, it was Zulle who was the strongest. He needed Rominger's help as he struggled through a climbing stage, but responded to attacks by Dufaux in the closing climbing stages and rode into Madrid the victor.
Next for the elite riders of the peloton is the world championships set for October 9-13 in Lugano, Switzerland.
Stage 22 results
Andrew Hood has been in Spain covering the Vuelta for Outside Online.
|
