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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
 Angelino Soler
VaE April 29-May 11, 1961 |
2,796.5 Km |
Starters: 100 |
Finishers: 50 |
Average Speed: 36.653 km/h x
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Young Spaniard Wins for Spain
A young and talented Spanish rider emerged on the Vuelta a Espana racing scene in 1961. His efforts helped Spain recover from a disappointing race in 1960.
SPECIAL NOTE: because of events linked to the war in Algeria the Vuelta organizers amended the Stage 2 race route. Originally scheduled to run from Pamplona to Bayonne officials substituted a circuit race between Pamplona and Estella * to replace original route.
1961 Vuelta a Espana Race Route Details |
Teams:
- Catigene
- Faema
- France
- Ferrys
- Holland
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- LICOR 43
- Groene Leeuw-Sinalco-SAS
- Kas-Royal Asport
- Philco-Magni-Torpado
- Portugal
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Race Summary:
Stage 1b, 2: The two first road stages marked the continuous attacks of the Spanish riders. The young Eusebio Velez (Kas-Royal Asport) earned the first Race Leader’s Amarillo Jersey of 1961.
Stage 3: 174 km from Pamplona to Huesca, Catigene’s Vicente Iturat escaped the peloton early on the stage and gained a 2’04” lead going over the summit of the Monrepos. As the stage entered the closing kilometers, a torrential rainstorm caused rivers of mud on the descent into the finish. Covered in mud, Iturat gallantly rode solo into Huesca to gain the stage win. Race leader Velez also survived the muddy hell but finished 1’39” behind rival Francois Mahe (Fra) and relinquished the Amarillo Jersey to the Frenchman.
Stage 11: Spirited and aggressive racing was featured throughout the first ten stages. The race lead changed hands three times before stage 11. From Madrid to Valladolid a ten-rider breakaway established itself early on the stage. Most notable member was the fourth placed Belgian Andre Messelis. Six additional riders were able to connect to the breakaway group, and the sixteen riders finished 11'29" ahead of the peloton. Messelis becomes new race leader with 4'21" in advance on Marcel Seynaeve (Bel). Notably young Spaniard Angelino Soler was fifth 11'27" behind the race leader.
Stage 14: A decisive shakeup in the General Classification occurred on stage 14. The stage contained the very difficult ascension of the Orduna. King of the Mountains leader Antonio Karmany rolled over the summit more than 6 minutes ahead of an elite five rider chase group, headed by young Spaniard Angelino Soler. After catching Karmany the breakaway worked well together and rode into the finish 8'57” ahead of the race leader. Messelis, who had suffered several punctures and a broke wheel, was able to maintain the lead in the GC, but his advantage was a reduced to 1'24” on Soler and 2'15” on Francois Mahe (Fra).
Stage 16: Soler’s charge to the top of the General Classification came on the final stage. The stage started in Bilbao, when a massive crash on a tramline slowed Soler, but Messelis the race leader, who also crashed and received a broken nose. Messelis did manage to re-mount but struggled to get to the Bilbao finish line. He finished the stage over 7 minutes behind the Soler group. The victory passed to Angelino Soler. The young Spaniard became the youngest winner of the Vuelta a Espana.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1a San Sebastian, 10.5 km TTT |
FAEMA |
Eusebio Velez (Spa) |
Stage 1b San Sebastian-Pamplona, 91 km |
Marcel Rohrbach (Fra) |
Eusebio Velez (Spa) |
Stg 2 Pamplona Circuit (Estella)*, 174 km |
Francois Mahe (Fra) |
Eusebio Velez (Spa) |
Stage 3 Pamplona-Huesca, 174 km |
Vicente Iturat (Spa) |
Francois Mahe (Fra) |
Stage 4 Binefar-Barcelona, 199 km |
Marcel Seynaeve (Bel) |
Jose-LuisTalamillo (Spa) |
Stage 5 Barcelona-Tortosa, 185 km |
Jesus Galdeano (Spa) |
Jose-LuisTalamillo (Spa) |
Stage 6 Tortosa-Valencia, 188 km |
Angelino Soler (Spa) |
Jose-LuisTalamillo (Spa) |
Stage 7 Valencia-Benidorm, 141 km |
Rene Van Meenen (Bel) |
Marcel Seynaeve (Bel) |
Stage 8 Benidorm-Albacete, 211 km |
Jose Perez-Frances (Spa) |
Marcel Seynaeve (Bel) |
Stage 9 Albacete-Madrid, 198 km |
Alves Barbosa (Spa) |
Marcel Seynaeve (Bel) |
Stage 10 Madrid-Madrid, 195 km |
Luis Otano (Spa) |
Marcel Seynaeve (Bel) |
Stage 11 Madrid-Valladolid, 189 km |
Arthur De Cabooter (Bel) |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Stg 12 Valladolid-Palencia, 48 km ITT |
Antonio Suarez (Spa) |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Stage 13 Palencia-Santander, 220 km |
Francisco Moreno (Spa) |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Stage 14 Santander-Vitoria, 235 km |
Francois Mahe (Fra) |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Stage 15 Vitoria-Bilbao, 172 km |
Antonio Karmany (Spa) |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Stage 16 Bilbao-Bilbao, 159 km |
Gabriel Company (Spa) |
 Angelino Soler (Spa)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Antonio Karmany (Spa)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Antonio Suarez (Spa)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Angelino SOLER (Spa) |
Faema |
77h 36' 17" |
2 |
Francois Mahe (Fra) |
France |
51" |
3 |
Jose Perez-Frances (Spa) |
Ferrys |
2'23" |
4 |
Antonio Suarez (Spa) |
Faema |
2'47" |
5 |
Antonio Gomez del Moral (Spa) |
Faema |
3'13" |
6 |
Vicente Iturat (Spa) |
Catigene |
5'29" |
7 |
Fernando Manzaneque (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
5'47" |
8 |
Antonio Karmany (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
6'07" |
9 |
Carmelo Morales (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
7'38" |
10 |
Jesus Lorono (Spa) |
Ferrys |
7'47" |
11 |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco |
8'29" |
12 |
Miguel Pacheco (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
10'03" |
13 |
Arturo Sabbadin (Ita) |
Philco-Magni-Torpado |
12'46" |
14 |
Salvador Botella (Spa) |
Faema |
13'57" |
15 |
Juan Campillo (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
16'48" |
16 |
Rene Marigil (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
20'30" |
17 |
Jan Adriaensens (Bel) |
Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco |
24'43" |
18 |
Alves Barbosa (Por) |
Portugal |
25'58" |
19 |
Marcel Seynaeve (Bel) |
Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco |
26'49" |
20 |
Angel Guardiola (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
30'01" |
21 |
Luis Otano (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
32'38" |
22 |
Antonio Jimenez-Quilez (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
36'32" |
23 |
Joseph Lahaye (Bel) |
Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco |
42'20" |
24 |
Jose C Cardoso (Por) |
Portugal |
43'52" |
25 |
Jesus Galdeano (Spa) |
Faema |
47'20" |
26 |
Marcel Queheille (Fra) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
50'44" |
27 |
Emilio Hernan (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
56'32" |
28 |
Gabriel Company (Spa) |
Catigene |
56'41" |
29 |
Antonio Accorsi (Ita) |
Philco-Magni-Torpado |
1h04'01" |
30 |
Francisco Gabica (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
1h04'20" |
31 |
Constant De Keyzer (Bel) |
Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco |
1h14'40" |
32 |
Rogelio Hernandez (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
1h19'50" |
33 |
Raymond Hoorelbecke (Fra) |
France |
1h23'56" |
34 |
Jose Quesada (Spa) |
Catigene |
1h25'40" |
35 |
Gabriel Mas (Spa) |
Faema |
1h29'17" |
36 |
Julio Jimenez (Spa) |
Catigene |
1h29'25" |
37 |
Francisco Moreno (Spa) |
Faema |
1h35'45" |
38 |
Francis Pipelin (Fra) |
France |
1h36'34" |
39 |
Jose Martin-Colmenarejo (Spa) |
Catigene |
1h38'18" |
40 |
Claude Sauvage (Fra) |
France |
1h43'08" |
41 |
Aniceto Utset (Spa) |
Catigene |
1h45'14" |
42 |
Salvador Rosa (Spa) |
Faema |
1h48'31" |
43 |
Angel Rodriguez (Spa) |
Catigene |
1h52'59" |
44 |
Jose C Carvalho (Por) |
Portugal |
1h55'38" |
45 |
Manuel Martin-Pinera (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
1h59'24" |
46 |
Esteban Martin (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
2h12'38" |
47 |
Jose Herrero-Berrendero (Spa) |
Faema |
2h24'44" |
48 |
Sergio Pascoa (Por) |
Portugal |
2h32'02" |
49 |
Henrique Castro (Por) |
Portugal |
3h03'05" |
50 |
Benigno Azpuru (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
3h18'35" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Antonio KARMANY (Spa) |
Kas-Royal Asport |
52 |
2 |
Julio Jimenez (Spa) |
Catigene |
45 |
3 |
Jose Perez-Frances (Spa) |
Ferrys |
29 |
4 |
Miguel Pacheco (Spa) |
LICOR 43 |
26 |
5 |
Antonio Gomez del Moral (Spa) |
Faema |
21 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Antonio SUAREZ (Spa) |
Faema |
194 |
2 |
Vicente Iturat (Spa) |
Catigene |
199 |
3 |
Jose Perez-Frances (Spa) |
Ferrys |
201 |
4 |
Andre Messelis (Bel) |
Groene Leeuw-SAS-Sinalco |
217 |
5 |
Francois Mahe (Fra) |
France |
271 |
VaE 1960
VaE 1962
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