33rd Vuelta a Espana 1978

Hinault's First Grand Tour Victory

Young Frenchman Bernard Hinault started the 1978 Vuelta a Espana with a star-studded list of race victories on his palmares. He came to Spain as preparation for his first Tour de France. 

Hinault took control of the race on the Prologue Time Trail, winning the race’s first Maillot Amarillo (race leader’s Golden Jersey). He did lose the race lead on Stage 3 to Belgian sprinter Ferdi Van den Haute, but regained to lead with two 'back to back' stage wins, Stage 11b (individual time trial) and on the mountainous four Col Stage 12.

The dominate Frenchman did not face a serious challenges for the remainder of the race and rode into the finish in San Sebastian for his first Grand Tour victory.

Road blockages stopped the race in San Sebastian

SPECIAL NOTE: Spain was in the middle of the transition to democracy and going through a very difficult political time. As a result the last stage had to be cancelled due to riots, barricades and several obstacles which were placed to stop the the race.

Stage and Distance	Stage Winner	Race Leader
Prologue Gijon, 8.6 km ITT	Bernard Hinault (Fra)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 1 Gijon-Gijon, 144 km	Adrianus Schipper (Ned)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 2 Gijon-Cangas de Onis, 94 km	Enrique Cima (Spa)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 3 Cangas de Onis-Leon, 187 km	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 4 Leon-Valladolid, 171 km	Patrick Lefevere (Bel)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 5 Valladolid-Avila, 136 km	Willy Teirlinck (Bel)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 6 Torrelaguna-Torrejon de Ardoz, 46 km	Alfons Van Katwijk (Ned)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 7 Torrejon de Ardoz-Cuenca, 160 km	Domingo Perurena (Spa)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 8 Cuenca-Benicassim, 249 km	Alfons Van Katwijk (Ned)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 9 Benicassim-Tortosa, 156 km	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 10 Tortosa-Calafell, 201 km	Willy Teirlinck (Bel)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 11a Calafell-Barcelona, 67 km	Javier Javier Elorriaga (Spa)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 11b Barcelona, 3.8 km ITT	Bernard Hinault (Fra)	Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
Stage 12 Barcelona-La Tossa de Montbu, 205 km	Bernard Hinault (Fra)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 13 Igualada-Jaca, 243 km	Salvatore Maccali (Ita)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 14 Jaca-Logrono, 219 km	Bernard Hinault (Fra)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 15 Logrono-Miranda de Ebro, 131 km	Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande (Bel)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 16 Mir. Ebro-Sant.d.l.Bien Aparecida, 208 km	Vicente Belda (Spa)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 17 Ampuero-Bilbao, 123 km	Enrique Cima (Spa)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 18 Bilbao-Amurrio, 154 km	Bernard Hinault (Fra)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 19 Amurio-San Sebastian, 84 km	Domingo Perurena (Spa)	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
Stage 20 San Sebastian-San Sebastian, ITT	Stage Canceled-Political Protests	Bernard Hinault (Fra)
	BEST CLIMBER PRIZE	Andres Oliva (Spa)
	POINTS COMPETITION	Ferdi Van Den Haute (Bel)

VaE 1977

VaE 1979

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