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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
 Melchor Mauri
VaE April 29 - May 19, 1991 |
3,215.5 Km |
Starters: 198 |
Finishers:116 |
Average Speed: 38.797 km/h x
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A Covadonga Showdown
The 46th edition of the Vuelta a Espana was held from April 29 to May 19, 1991. The racecourse had 3,215 km over twenty stages from Merida to Madrid.
Miguel Indurain, Laudelino Cubino and Anselmo Fuerte were the Spanish riders favored for the victory. Defending champion Marco Giovannetti (Ita) was also a favorite along with Steven Rooks (Ned), Raúl Alcalá (Mex), and the Colombians Fabio Parra and Luis ‘Lucho’ Herrera.
1991 Vuelta a Espana Race Route Details |
Teams:
- Amaya Seguros
- Artiach-Royal
- Banesto
- Buckler-Colnago-Decca
- Carrera Jeans-Tassoni
- CLAS-Cajastur
- Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax
- Kelme-Cam
- Lotus-Festina
- Postobon-Manzana-Ryalco
- ONCE-Look-Mavic
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- Panasonic-Sportlife
- Paternina-Don Zoilo
- PDM-Ultima-Concorde
- Puertas-Mavisa
- R.M.O.
- Seur
- Sicasal-Acral
- Team Telekom
- Tulip Computers
- TVM-Sanyo
- Wigarma-JM Catering
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Race Summary:
Prologue to Stage 3: The powerful team ONCE, with time trial specialist Melchor Mauri, dominated the first week of racing by winning the prologue time trial. Mauri and teammates Herminio Diaz Zabala and Anselmo Fuerte all trading the race lead through three stages before Mauri took control for good. Miguel Indurain, Mauri’s main threat, lost almost 2 minutes on the Team Time Trial on stage 2b and looked to the mountain stages and the two upcoming ITT to take back time in the GC.
Stage 11: Dangerous conditions because of the cold, rain, and snow caused the eleventh stage, ending on the climb to Pla de Beret, to be cancelled.
Stage 12: On the mountainous twelfth stage, 111 km from Bossost to the ski station at Cerler, race leader Mauri attacked early to get to the tough finishing climb to Cerler ahead of the climbers. The Columbians drove the chase and caught Mauri just before the climb. Banesto's Indurain set a strong tempo on the finishing climb. Mauri struggled and was dropped by the lead group. Suffering but determined the Amarillo Jersey fought back, losing only 1’03” to Indurain defended his 45” GC lead.
Stage 16: On the sixteenth stage marked the return of the traditional ascension of the Lagos of Covadonga. The climb provided a strategic launching pad for GC hopefuls. Lucho Herrera, Laudelino Cubino, Piotr Ugrumov, and Oliviero Rincon all attacked and managed to escape the ONCE controlled peloton. Mauri’s two main rivals Marino Lejarreta and Indurain also attacked and managed to breakaway. While Mauri was losing contact with the group elite group, ONCE set a determined chase and managed to pull their race leader back to the leaders. At the top of the finishing climb he was just seconds behind his main rivals. The time lost to the climbers was not enough to lose his Amarillo Jersey.
Race Leader Mauri ITT
Stage 19: Three stages later on the final ITT Melchor Mauri did not disappoint on the 53.2 km Individual Time Trial in Valladolid. He rode brilliantly and gained 1’06” on main rival Miguel Indurain, who finished second on the stage.
Stage 21: ONCE’s Melchor Mauri rode into Madrid to claim the prestigious Vuelta a Espana victory in 1991. This very competitive victory surprised Mauri, who stated after the race: "Now, I realize my real possibilities".
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Merida-Merida, 8.8 km ITT |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 2a Merida-Caceres, 134.5 km |
Michel Zanoli (Ned) |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
Stage 2b Montijo-Badajoz, 40.4 km TTT |
ONCE |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
Stage 3 Badajoz-Sevilla, 233.2 km |
Jesper Skibby (Den) |
Hermino Diaz-Zabala (Spa) |
Stage 4 Sevilla/Expo 92-Jaen, 292 km |
Jesus Cruz-Martin (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 5 Linares-Albacete, 227.8 km |
Uwe Raab (Ger) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 6 Albacete-Valencia, 236.5 km |
Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Ned) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 7 Palma-Palma, 188 km |
Jesper Skibby (Den) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 8 Cala d'Or-Cala d'Or, 47 km ITT |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 9 San Cugat-Lloret de Mar, 140 km |
Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Ned) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 10 Lloret de Mar-Andorra, 229 km |
Guido Bontempi (Ita) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 11 Andorra-Pia de Beret, Cancelled |
*** Stage Cancelled *** |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 12 Bossost-Cerler, 111 km |
Ivan Ivanov (Rus) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 13 Benasque-Zaragoza, 219 km |
Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Ned) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 14 Ezcaray-Valdezcaray, 24.1 km ITT |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 15 Sta Domingo Calzada-Santander, 219 km |
Guido Bontempi (Ita) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 16 Santander-Lagos/Covadonga, 186 km |
Luis Herrera (Col) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 17 Cangas de Onis-Alto Naranco, 152 km |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 18 Leon-Valladolid, 137.5 km |
Antonio-Miguel Diaz (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 19 Valladolid-Valladolid, 53.2 km ITT |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 20 Destillerias DYC- Segovia, 212 km |
Jesus Montoya (Spa) |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
Stage 21 Collado Villalba-Madrid, 169.6 km |
Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Ned) |
 Melchor Mauri (Spa)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Luis Herrera (Col)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Uwe Raab (Ger)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Melchor MAURI (Spa) |
ONCE-Look-Mavic |
82h 48' 07" |
2 |
Miguel Indurain (Spa) |
Banesto |
+2'52" |
3 |
Marino Lejarreta (Spa) |
ONCE-Look-Mavic |
+3'11" |
4 |
Federico Echave (Spa) |
CLAS-Cajastur |
+3'54" |
5 |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Amaya Seguros |
+5'38" |
6 |
Pello Ruiz-Cabestany (Spa) |
CLAS-Cajastur |
+6'50" |
7 |
Raul Alcala (Mex) |
PDM-Ultima-Concorde |
+6'57" |
8 |
Piotr Ugrumov (Let) |
Seur |
+10'43" |
9 |
Steven Rooks (Ned) |
Buckler-Colnago-Decca |
+12'09" |
10 |
Oliviero Rincon (Col) |
Kelme-Cam |
+12'11" |
11 |
Eduardo Chozas (Spa) |
+14'07" |
64 |
Juan Guillem (Spa) |
+1h13'44" |
12 |
Tom Cordes (Ned) |
+14'35" |
65 |
Acacio Da Silva (Por) |
+1h13'56" |
13 |
Luis "Lucho" Herrera (Col) |
+16'36" |
66 |
Vladimir Poulnikov (Rus) |
+1h14'25" |
14 |
Inaki Gaston (Spa) |
+17'07" |
67 |
Pablo Rincon (Col) |
+1h16'38" |
15 |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
+17'12" |
68 |
Juan Romero (Spa) |
+1h17'38" |
16 |
Jon Unzaga (Spa) |
+20'54" |
69 |
William Palacio (Col) |
+1h19'17" |
17 |
Udo Bolts (Ger) |
+22'09" |
70 |
Jose Sanchis (Spa) |
+1h19'56" |
18 |
Marco Giovannetti (Ita) |
+22'57" |
71 |
Adri Van der Poel (Ned) |
+1h22'06" |
19 |
Ivan Ivanov (Rus) |
+24'57" |
72 |
Jorge Silva (Por) |
+1h22'21" |
20 |
Fernando Martinez (Spa) |
+25'30" |
73 |
Dariusz Kajzer (Ger) |
+1h23'50" |
21 |
Javier Mauleon (Spa) |
+27'42" |
74 |
Americo Silva (Por) |
+1h23'52" |
22 |
Alvaro Mejia (Col) |
+28'00" |
75 |
Erich Maechler (Sui) |
+1h26'26" |
23 |
Jesus Montoya (Spa) |
+28'54" |
76 |
Jose-Antonio Ripoll (Spa) |
+1h27'48" |
24 |
Fabrice Philipot (Fra) |
+29'27" |
77 |
Serguei Ouslamine (Rus) |
+1h29'04" |
25 |
Gerardo Moncada (Col) |
+30'05" |
78 |
Antonio-Miguel Diaz (Spa) |
+1h30'27" |
26 |
Henry Cardenas (Col) |
+31'11" |
79 |
Felice Puttini (Sui) |
+1h32'30" |
27 |
Santos Hernandez (Spa) |
+32'26" |
80 |
Jorge Man Dominguez (Spa) |
+1h32'38" |
28 |
Jesper Skibby (Den) |
+32'55" |
81 |
Peter Hilse (Ger) |
+1h33'33" |
29 |
Nestor Mora (Col) |
+32'56" |
82 |
Miguel-Angel Anton (Spa) |
+1h34'11" |
30 |
Gerrit De Vries (Ned) |
+34'46" |
83 |
John Talen (Ned) |
+1h34'31" |
31 |
Jose Rodriguez (Spa) |
+35'29" |
84 |
Alfonso Gutierrez (Spa) |
+1h37'46" |
32 |
Jim Van de Laer (Bel) |
+35'56" |
85 |
Marcel Arntz (Ned) |
+1h38'21" |
33 |
Alvaro Sierra (Col) |
+36'14" |
86 |
Youri Manouylov (Rus) |
+1h38'24" |
34 |
Juan-Thomas Martinez (Spa) |
+38'03" |
87 |
Juan-Carlos Arribas (Spa) |
+1h39'56" |
35 |
Pascal Lino (Fra) |
+42'15" |
88 |
Vassili Jdanov (Rus) |
+1h40'00" |
36 |
Jesus Blanco-Villar (Spa) |
+43'02" |
89 |
Roberto Torres (Spa) |
+1h40'31" |
37 |
Luc Roosen (Bel) |
+44'22" |
90 |
Valerio Tebaldi (Ita) |
+1h40'51" |
38 |
Abelardo Rondon (Col) |
+45'58" |
91 |
John Van den Akker (Ned) |
+1h41'56" |
39 |
Jesus Rodriguez (Spa) |
+47'03" |
92 |
Juan-Jose Martinez (Spa) |
+1h42'25" |
40 |
Jesus Rodriguez-Magro (Spa) |
+48'46" |
93 |
Antonio Sanchez (Spa) |
+1h46'28" |
41 |
Eddy Bouwmans (Ned) |
+49'13" |
94 |
Manuel Guijarro (Spa) |
+1h48'15" |
42 |
Herminio Diaz-Zabala (Spa) |
+49'33" |
95 |
Francisco Cabello (Spa) |
+1h49'36" |
43 |
Uwe Raab (Ger) |
+52'33" |
96 |
Christian Henn (Ger) |
+1h49'59" |
44 |
Alberto Leanizbarrutia (Spa) |
+53'11" |
97 |
Henk Lubberding (Ned) |
+1h50'59" |
45 |
Cassio Freitas (Bre) |
+56'40" |
98 |
Patrice Esnault (Fra) |
+1h51'46" |
46 |
Christophe Manin (Fra) |
+56'53" |
99 |
Fernando Mota (Por) |
+1h51'55" |
47 |
Guido Bontempi (Ita) |
+57'06" |
100 |
Miguel-Angel Iglesias (Spa) |
+1h52'11" |
48 |
Johnny Weltz (Den) |
+58'43" |
101 |
Jorg Muller (Sui) |
+1h52'29" |
49 |
Carmelo Miranda (Spa) |
+59'23" |
102 |
Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) |
+1h52'35" |
50 |
Marc Van Orsouw (Bel) |
+1h02'30" |
103 |
Mario Kummer (Ger) |
+1h52'45" |
51 |
Malcolm Elliott (GBr) |
+1h03'31" |
104 |
Javier Carbayeda (Spa) |
+1h55'04" |
52 |
Arsenio Gonzalez (Spa) |
+1h05'22" |
105 |
Jan Siemons (Ned) |
+1h59'04" |
53 |
Martin Farfan (Col) |
+1h05'53" |
106 |
Mario Scirea (Ita) |
+2h03'05" |
54 |
Jure Pavlic (You) |
+1h06'06" |
107 |
Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Ned) |
+2h05'05" |
55 |
Romes Gainetdinov (Rus) |
+1h06'42" |
108 |
Serafin Vieira (Por) |
+2h05'06" |
56 |
Marino Alonso (Spa) |
+1h06'49" |
109 |
Bernardo Mazon (Spa) |
+2h05'57" |
57 |
Dave Rayner (GBr) |
+1h08'00" |
110 |
Carlos Hernandez (Spa) |
+2h07'19" |
58 |
Jose Pedrero (Spa) |
+1h08'09" |
111 |
Rene Beuker (Ned) |
+2h08'31" |
59 |
Pedro-Saul Morales (Col) |
+1h08'24" |
112 |
Dean Woods (Aus) |
+2h11'05" |
60 |
Jose-Luis Villanueva (Spa) |
+1h08'36" |
113 |
Maarten Ducrot (Ned) |
+2h14'39" |
61 |
Enrique Aja (Spa) |
+1h11'51" |
114 |
Gert Jakobs (Ned) |
+2h25'17" |
62 |
Roland Leclerc (Fra) |
+1h12'56" |
115 |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
+2h28'44" |
63 |
Frederic Brun (Fra) |
+1h13'13" |
116 |
Giovanni Fidanza (Ita) |
+2h30'35" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Luis "Lucho" HERRERA (Col) |
Postobon-Manzana-Ryalco |
157 |
2 |
Marino Lejarreta (Spa) |
ONCE-Look -Mavic |
87 |
3 |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Amaya Seguros |
69 |
4 |
Federico Echave (Spa) |
CLAS-Cajastur |
57 |
5 |
Oliviero Rincon (Col) |
Kelme-Cam |
56 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Uwe RAAB (Ger) |
PDM-Ultima-Concorde |
169 |
2 |
Melchor Mauri (Spa) |
ONCE-Look-Mavic |
134 |
3 |
Jean-Paul Van Poppel (Ned) |
PDM-Ultima-Concorde |
116 |
4 |
Miguel Indurain (Spa) |
Banesto |
92 |
5 |
Jesper Skibby (Den) |
TVM-Sanyo |
90 |
6 |
Malcolm Elliott (GBr) |
Seur |
87 |
7 |
Guido Bontempi (Ita) |
Carrera Jeans-Tassoni |
84 |
8 |
Eric Vanderaerden (Bel) |
Buckler-Colnago-Decca |
76 |
9t |
Luis "Lucho" Herrera (Col) |
Postobon-Manzana-Ryalco |
75 |
Marino Lejarreta (Spa) |
ONCE-Look-Mavic |
11 |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Amaya Seguros |
65 |
12t |
Alfonso Gutierrez (Spa) |
Paternina-Don Zoilo |
65 |
Federico Echave (Spa) |
CLAS-Cajastur |
14 |
Pello Ruiz-Cabestany (Spa) |
CLAS-Cajastur |
64 |
15 |
Steven Rooks (Ned) |
Buckler-Colnago-Decca |
60 |
VaE 1990
VaE 1992
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