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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
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Vuelta Moves to September
SPECIAL NOTE: The UCI’s International calendar was changed in 1995 with the 50th edition of Vuelta a Espana starting in September.
The 1995 Vuelta a Espana was held from September 2 to September 24, 1995. The race course consisted of 22 stages covering a total of 3,637.6 km. Defending champion Tony Rominger was absent from the start list, preferring to attempt a “Giro/Tour double”.
Frenchman Laurent Jalabert after his 4th place finish in the Tour de France was installed as the favorite to win. He had seven stage wins in 1994 and came looking for ‘bigger & better’ results.
The entry into the high mountains came early in 1995. The stage win on the 206 km Stage 3 from Santander to Alto de Naranco launched ONCE’s Laurent Jalabert into the Maillot Amarillo. MAPEI-GB’s Abraham Olano finished second on the stage and remained close 10” behind in the General Classification.
Stage 7, the 41 km Individual Time Trial, it was expected that Jalabert, who held a slim 29” lead, would lose the race lead to Olano. However, despite the stage win by Olano, Jalabert only lost 23”. The Frenchman held onto the Maillot Amarillo.
Jalabert's dominating performance continued one stage later on the 219.8 km Stage 8. His attack was termed “stunning and brilliant” by the Spanish media. He attacked 60 km from the finish and dropped Olano as well as super climbers Richard Virenque and Marco Pantani. The stage win put the Frenchman more than 5 minutes ahead of the second placed Olano in the GC.
“Stunning and Brilliant”, Jalabert winning Stage 8
Laurent Jalabert came to Spain in 1995 with the reputation of “not being able to win a Grand Tour”, but in the Vuelta he destroyed that notion. The French rider rode into Madrid to claim a dominating Vuelta a Espana victory.
The Podium: Bruyneel (L), Jalabert (C), Olano (R)
SPECIAL NOTE: Laurent Jalabert had 5 stage wins and easily won the Vuelta’s three classifications:
General Classification |
1. Laurent JALABERT (Fra) 95h30'33" |
2. Abraham Olano (Spa) +4'22" |
3. Johan Bruyneel (Bel) +6'48" |
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Points Classification |
1. Laurent JALABERT (Fra) 312 pts !!! |
2. Abraham Olano (Spa) 195 pts |
3. Marcel Wust (Ger) 178 pts |
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Mountains Classification |
1. Laurent JALABERT (Fra) 238 pts |
2. Roberto Pistore (Ita) 124 pts |
3. Alex Zulle (Sui) 89 pts |
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Prologue Zaragoza, 7 km ITT |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 1 Zaragoza-Logrono, 186.6 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 2 San Asensio-Santander, 223.5 km |
Gianliuca Pianegonda (Ita) |
Gianluca Pianegonda (Ita) |
Stage 3 Santander-Alto de Naranco, 206 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 4 Tapia de Casariego-La Coruna, 82.6 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 5 La Coruna-Orense, 179.8 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 6 Orense-Zamora, 264 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 7 Salamanca, 41 km ITT |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 8 Salamanca-Avila, 219.8 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 9 Avila-Destilerias DYC/Segovia, 122.5 km |
Jesper Skibby (Den) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 10 Cordoba-Sevilla, 162.5 km |
Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 11 Sevilla-Marbella, 187 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 12 Marbella-Sierra Nevada, 238 km |
Bert Dietz (Ger) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 13 Olula del Rio-Murcia, 181 km |
Christian Henn (Ger) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 14 Elche-Valencia, 207 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 15 Barcelona-Barcelona, 154 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 16 Tarrega-Pla de Beret, 197.3 km |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 17 Salardu-Luz Ardiden, 179.2 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 18 Luz St Sauveur-Sabinanigo, 157.8 km |
Asiate Saitov (Rus) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 19 Sabinanigo-Catalayud, 227.7 km |
Adriano Baffi (Ita) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 20 Alcala de Henares, 41.6 km ITT |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 21 Alcala de Henares-Madrid, 171.2 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
 Laurent Jalabert (Fra)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
| VaE September 2 - September 24, 1995 |
| 3,637.6 km |
1. Laurent JALABERT (Fra) 95h30'33" |
2. Abraham Olano (Spa) +4'22" |
3. Johan Bruyneel (Bel) +6'48" |
Starters: 180 |
Finishers: 118 |
Average Speed: 38.704 km/h |
VaE 1994
VaE 1996
Return to the Timeline ToC
Return to the Race Snippets |
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50th Vuelta a Espana 1995
