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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
 Bernard Hinault
VaE April 25 - May 14, 1978 |
3,990.4 Km |
Starters: 100 |
Finishers: 64 |
Average Speed: 35.014 km/h x
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Bernard 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, but a Grand Tour was missing. He came to Spain as preparation for his first Tour de France. This Vuelta would be different for the Frenchman.
1978 Vuelta a Espana Race Route Details |
Teams:
- Bode Deuren-Shimano
- Kas-Campagnolo
- Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia
- Novostil-Helios
- Old Lord's-Splendor-KSB
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- Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo
- Safir-Beyers-Ludo
- Italy National
- Teka
- Transmallorca-Flavia-Gios
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Race Summary:
Prologue: Hinault took control of the race on the Prologue Time Trail. The stage win earned the Frenchman the race leader’s Amarillo Jersey.
Stage 2: The second stage, from Gijon to Cangas de Onis, included a tough climb of category one, El Fito. KAS’s Jose-Enrique Cima rode over the summit of El Fito and plunged down the decent into Cangas de Onis. At the 5 km to go mark Cima held a 22” lead on a hard chasing group led by Hinault. Cima held on for the stage win, but by a slim 6”.
Stage 3: The Frenchman did lose the race lead on the third stage to Belgian sprinter Ferdi Van den Haute. Over the summit of the Puerto de Pajares Jose Pesarrodona attacked on the descent. Bernaudeau, a teammate of Hinault, Lopez del Alamo, Elorriaga, Carlos Ocana, Martinez-Heredia and Belgian Ferdi Van den Haute stick to the wheel of the Catalan rider. Van den Haute’s hard pace caused Carlos Ocana to be dropped. The six riders rolled into the finish with a 1’27” lead on Hinault. Van den Haute won the stage and gained the race lead.
Stage 11b: Hinault flew through the Individual Time Trial for the stage win and gained valuable time in the GC.
Stage 12: The twelfth stage, from Barcelona to La Tossa de Montbu, featured the ascensions of four brutal climbs (2 were category 1). Team Novostil-Helios’s Andres Gandarias escaped on the climb of the Alto de la Pullosa and rode 159 km solo. He built a lead of 12’05” on the peloton before a Hinault driven chase caught Gandarias with 12 km to go. The Frenchman won the stage and reclaimed the Amarillo Jersey.
Stage 18: Race leader Hinault leaves no doubt about his 1978 dominance. Over the summit of the Puerto de Orduña with 52 km to the finish Hinault attacked solo. The dominant French champion crossed the finish line with a 1’56” stage win.
Vuelta Champion Bernard Hinault (L) with second place Jose Pasarrodona (R)
Stage 19: The dominate Frenchman did not face a serious challenge for the remainder of the race and rode into the finish in San Sebastian for his first Grand Tour victory. This victory was the true birth of a Grand Champion.
Road blockages stopped the race in San Sebastian
SPECIAL NOTE: Spain in 1978 was in the middle of the transition to democracy and going through a very difficult political time. As a result, the last stage (Stage 20) had to be cancelled due to riots, barricades and several obstacles which were placed to stop 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/Montbui, 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-Philip Vandenbrande (Bel) |
Bernard Hinault (Fra) |
Stage 16 Mir/Ebro-Sant.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-Amurio, 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, ITT |
Stage Canceled-Political Protests |
 Bernard Hinault (Fra)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Andres Oliva (Spa)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Bernard HINAULT (Fra) |
Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo |
85h24'14" |
2 |
Jose Pesarrodona (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
03'02" |
3 |
Jean-Rene Bernaudeau (Fra) |
Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo |
03'47" |
4 |
Eulalio Garcia (Spa) |
Teka |
04'23" |
5 |
Adri Jos Schipper (Ned) |
Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia |
04'28" |
6 |
Ferdi Van den Haute (Bel) |
Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia |
05'52" |
7 |
Jose Nazabal (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
06'12" |
8 |
Enrique Martinez-Heredia (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
06'53" |
9 |
Gonzalo Aja (Spa) |
Novostil-Helios |
10'12" |
10 |
Vicente Lopez-Carril (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
13'57" |
11 |
Andres Oliva (Spa) |
14'39" |
38 |
Lucien Didier (Lux) |
58'16" |
12 |
Sebastian Pozo (Spa) |
16'48" |
39 |
Luis-Alberto Ordiales (Spa) |
58'42" |
13 |
Bernardo Alfonsel (Spa) |
20'18" |
40 |
Daniele Tinchella (Ita) |
59'43" |
14 |
Manuel Esparza (Spa) |
20'43" |
41 |
Angel Lopez del Alamo (Spa) |
1h00'30" |
15 |
Gilbert Chaumaz (Fra) |
20'57" |
42 |
Carlos Melero (Spa) |
1h03'00" |
16 |
Andres Gandarias (Spa) |
21'30" |
43 |
Maurizio Bellet (Ita) |
1h03'24" |
17 |
Jose-Enrique Cima (Spa) |
21'54" |
44 |
Roland Berland (Fra) |
1h04'46" |
18 |
Jose-Luis Mayoz (Spa) |
22'55" |
45 |
Feliciano Sobradillo (Spa) |
1h07'46" |
19 |
Alberto Fernandez (Spa) |
24'04" |
46 |
Bernard Quilfen (Fra) |
1h09'35" |
20 |
Jose Martins (Por) |
24'41" |
47 |
Andre Chalmel (Fra) |
1h15'38" |
21 |
Vicente Belda (Spa) |
27'23" |
48 |
Leone Pizzini (Ita) |
1h19'10" |
22 |
Dom "Txomin" Perurena (Spa) |
28'55" |
49 |
Salvatore Maccali (Ita) |
1h22'35" |
23 |
Félix Perez (Spa) |
32'53" |
50 |
Patrick Cluzaud (Fra) |
1h28'20" |
24 |
Fran Fernandez-Moreno (Spa) |
33'19" |
51 |
Benny Schepmans (Bel) |
1h34'50" |
25 |
Willy Teirlinck (Bel) |
33'20" |
52 |
Ignazio Paleari (Ita) |
1h36'27" |
26 |
Antonio Gonzalez (Spa) |
37'11" |
53 |
Patrick Lefevere (Bel) |
1h38'42" |
27 |
Javier Elorriaga (Spa) |
39'10" |
54 |
Alfons Van Katwijk (Ned) |
1h43'40" |
28 |
Jean-Phil Vandenbrande (Bel) |
41'00" |
55 |
Alan McCormack (Ire) |
1h44'44" |
29 |
Custodio Mazuela (Spa) |
42'38" |
56 |
Antonio Abad (Spa) |
1h46'55" |
30 |
Ant Gonzalez-Linares (Spa) |
43'50" |
57 |
Marc Dierickx (Bel) |
1h49'00" |
31 |
Franco Conti (Ita) |
44'53" |
58 |
Willy Sprangers (Bel) |
1h54'39" |
32 |
Anastasio Greciano (Ita) |
49'00" |
59 |
Andre Delcroix (Bel) |
1h55'31" |
33 |
Carlos Ocana (Spa) |
52'30" |
60 |
Roberto Sorlini (Ita) |
1h56'48" |
34 |
Anunzio Colombo (Ita) |
53'06" |
61 |
Tulio Rossi (Ita) |
2h01'15" |
35 |
Henry Vandenbrande (Bel) |
54'06" |
62 |
Roelof Groen (Ned) |
2h07'48" |
36 |
Bernard Becaas (Fra) |
54'47" |
63 |
Willy Scheers (Bel) |
2h39'18" |
37 |
Giuseppe Passuello (Ita) |
55'18" |
64 |
Rene Wuyckens (Bel) |
2h40'40" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Andres OLIVA (Spa) |
Teka |
112 |
2 |
Jose-Enrique Cima (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
81 |
3 |
Bernard Hinault (Fra) |
Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo |
60 |
4 |
Andres Gandarias (Spa) |
Novostil-Helios |
48 |
5 |
Jose-Luis Mayoz (Spa) |
Teka |
44 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Ferdi VAN DEN HAUTE (Bel) |
Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia |
218 |
2 |
Willy Teirlinck (Bel) |
Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo |
157 |
3 |
Bernard Hinault (Fra) |
Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo |
130 |
4 |
Javier Elorriaga (Spa) |
Teka |
113 |
5 |
Alfons Van Katwijk (Ned) |
Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia |
106 |
6 |
Eulalio Garcia (Spa) |
Teka |
92 |
7 |
Adri Jos Schipper (Ned) |
Marc Zeepcentrale-Superia |
70 |
8 |
Jose-Enrique Cima (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
70 |
9 |
Daniele Tinchella (Ita) |
Transmallorca-Flavia-Gios |
69 |
VaE 1977
VaE 1979
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