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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
 Joop Zoetemelk
VaE April 24 - May 13, 1979 |
3,373.6 Km |
Starters: 90 |
Finishers: 73 |
Average Speed: 35.529 km/h x
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Luis Puig and Unipublic Save the Vuelta
Again, in 1979 financial problems plagued the Vuelta a Espana. Major sponsor El Correo Español-Pueblo Vasco was ending its promotion of the race. Luis Puig, president of the Federacion Espanola de Ciclismo, came to the rescue and saved the Vuelta by achieving an agreement with event organizers Unipublic.
The competitive aspect of the 1979 Vuelta edition was not remarkable. There were no notable Spanish riders, which opened the door for three foreigners defending champion Bernard Hinault, 1977 VaE winner Freddy Maertens, and Joop Zoetemelk to fight for the victory.
1979 Vuelta a Espana Race Route Details |
Teams:
- Colchon CR-Manzaneque
- Kas-Campagnolo
- Lano-Boule d'Or
- Miko-Mercier-Vivagel
- Moliner-Vereco
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- Novostil-Helios
- Splendor-Euro Soap
- Teka
- Transmallorca-Flavia-Gios
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Race Summary:
Prologue: Dutchman Joop Zoetemelk took the first lead of the race winning the prologue in Jerez de la Frontera.
Stage 1: A young Sean Kelly recorded his first Vuelta stage win. Kelly won a second stage in Benicassim on stage 8a before abandoning the Vuelta during stage 17.
Stage 6: Two riders escape the peloton at the 79th km of the 171 km stage. Christian Levavasseur, the race leader’s teammate, was joined by KAS’s Rafael Ladron de Guevarra. The breakaway quickly opened a solid gap and would not be caught. Levavasseur rolled into Alcoy for the stage win and a 7’27” time gain. Zoetemelk surrendered to Amarillo Jersey to his teammate.
Stage 13: Zoetemelk regained the Amarillo Jersey on the thirteenth stage. The stage, 180 km from Logrono to Santander, featured two tough first category climbs of the Puerto de Alisas and Alto de Pena Cabarga. Angel Lopez broke away solo and rode 140 km for the stage win. On the climb of the Peña Cabarga Joop Zoetemelk joined Lucien Van Impe and Manuel Esparza in pursuit of Lopez. The trio finished 2’33” behind but 3’51” ahead on the race lead. Zoetemelk was back in the Amarillo Jersey.
Stage 13 winner Angel Lopez (L) and Race leader Joop Zoetemelk (R)
Stage 15: Spanish climber Felipe Yanez crashed heavily on the fifteenth stage. Yanez severely injured his wrist but bravely continued the race. His lead in the Grand Prix of the Mountain Classification was large enough that he only had to finish the remaining six stages for the victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: The riders staged a protest on the “double section” stage 16a & 16b stating the ‘demands of the racing’ were too hard. They rode stage 16a at a slow pace.
Peloton cruising into Avila on Stage 17
Stage 14 to 19: Zoetemelk would not be challenged over the final six stages. At the finish in Madrid Joop Zoetemelk gained the prestigious Vuelta victory.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Prologue Jerez de la Frontera, 6.3 km ITT |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 1 Jerez de la Frontera-Sevilla, 156 km |
Sean Kelly (Ire) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 2 Sevilla-Cordoba, 188 km |
Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 3 Cordoba-Sierra Nevada, 190 km |
Felipe Yanez (Spa) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 4 Granada-Puerto Lumbreras, 222 km |
Roger De Cnijf (Bel) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 5 Puerta Lombreras-Murcia, 139 km |
Juan Argudo (Spa) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 6 Murcia-Alcoy, 171 km |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 7 Alcoy-Sedavi, 173 km |
Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 8a Sedavi-Benicassim, 145 km |
Sean Kelly (Ire) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 8b Benicassim, 11.3 km ITT |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 9 Benicassim-Reus, 193 km |
Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 10 Reus-Zaragoza, 230 km |
Noel De Jonckheere (Bel) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 11 Zaragoza-Pamplona, 183 km |
Noel De Jonckheere (Bel) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 12 Pamplona-Logrono, 149 km |
Frans Van Vlierberghe (Bel) |
Christian Levavasseur (Fra) |
Stage 13 Logrono-Santander, 180 km |
Angel Lopez del Alamo (Spa) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 14 Torrelavega-Gijon, 178 km |
Bernardo Alfonsel (Spa) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 15 Gijon-Leon, 156 km |
Lucien Van Impe (Bel) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 16a Leon-Valladolid, 134 km |
Adri Van Houwelingen (Ned) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 16b Valladolid, 22 km ITT |
Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 17 Valladolid-Avila, 204 km |
Francisco Albelda (Spa) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 18a Avila-Colmenar Viejo, 155 km |
Miguel-Maria Lasa (Spa) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stg 18b Co. Viejo-Azuqueca Henares, 104 km |
Cees Bal (Ned) |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Stage 19 Circuit Madrid, 84 km |
Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel) |
 Joop Zoetemelk (Ned)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Felipe Yanez (Spa)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Joop ZOETEMELK (Ned) |
Miko-Mercier-Vivagel |
94h57'03" |
2 |
Francisco Galdos (Spa) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
2'43" |
3 |
Michel Pollentier (Bel) |
Splendor-Euro Soap |
3'21" |
4 |
Faustino Ruperez (Spa) |
Moliner-Vereco |
5'51" |
5 |
Lucien Van Impe (Bel) |
Kas-Campagnolo |
6'30" |
6 |
Pedro Torres (Spa) |
Transmallorca-Flavia-Gios |
6'49" |
7 |
Felipe Yanez (Spa) |
Novostil-Helios |
7'41" |
8 |
Christian Seznec (Fra) |
Miko-Mercier-Vivagel |
8'03" |
9 |
Alfons "Fons" De Wolf (Bel) |
Lano-Boule d'Or |
10'01" |
10 |
Julian Andiano (Spa) |
Moliner-Vereco |
10'52" |
11 |
Miguel-Maria Lasa (Spa) |
10'56" |
43 |
Hubert Mathis (Fra) |
49'33" |
12 |
Vicente Lopez-Carril (Spa) |
11'22" |
44 |
Wim Myngheer (Bel) |
52'43" |
13 |
Raymond Martin (Fra) |
11'51" |
45 |
Cees Bal (Ned) |
54'23" |
14 |
Alberto Fernandez (Spa) |
12'05" |
46 |
Jose Nazabal (Spa) |
54'26" |
15 |
Herman Beyssens (Bel) |
12'51" |
47 |
Benny Van den Auwera (Bel) |
54'29" |
16 |
Manuel Esparza (Spa) |
13'22" |
48 |
Adri Van Houwelinghen (Ned) |
59'42" |
17 |
Vicente Belda (Spa) |
16'19" |
49 |
Isidro Juarez (Spa) |
1h01'17" |
18 |
Jose Pesarrodona (Spa) |
19'11" |
50 |
Fernando Cabrero (Spa) |
1h02'21" |
19 |
Angel Arroyo (Spa) |
20'20" |
51 |
Javier Elorriaga (Spa) (Spa) |
1h06'10" |
20 |
Juan Pujol (Spa) |
22'29" |
52 |
Jean-Louis Gauthier (Fra) |
1h06'32" |
21 |
Ismael Lejarreta (Spa) |
22'40" |
53 |
Juan Argudo (Spa) |
1h12'03" |
22 |
Carlos Melero (Spa) |
24'19" |
54 |
Frits Pirard (Ned) |
1h12'06" |
23 |
Bernardo Alfonsel (Spa) |
25'52" |
55 |
Jan Van Houwelinghen (Ned) |
1h23'22" |
24 |
Jesus Suarez-Cuevas (Spa) |
28'19" |
56 |
Jose Garcia-Rodriguez (Spa) |
1h23'33" |
25 |
Gonzalo Aja (Spa) |
32'21" |
57 |
Francisco-Ramon Albelda (Spa) |
1h28'06" |
26 |
Carlos Ocana (Spa) |
33'26" |
58 |
Joël Gallopin (Fra) |
1h28'51" |
27 |
Andre Mollet (Fra) |
35'34" |
59 |
Sebastian Pozo (Spa) |
1h31'28" |
28 |
Ricardo Zuniga (Spa) |
36'01" |
60 |
Jesus Lopez-Carril (Spa) |
1h31'55" |
29 |
Jesus Manzaneque (Spa) |
36'06" |
61 |
Patrick Verstraete (Bel) |
1h34'38" |
30 |
Marino Lejarreta (Spa) |
36'24" |
62 |
Miguel Gutierrez-Mayor (Spa) |
1h34'56" |
31 |
Angel Lopez del Alamo (Spa) |
36'33" |
63 |
Noel Dejonckheere (Bel) |
1h35'08" |
32 |
Eulalo Garcia (Spa) |
37'19" |
64 |
Manuel Martin-Conde (Spa) |
1h44'18" |
33 |
Jose-A Gonzalez-Linares (Spa) |
37'35" |
65 |
Erich Jagsch (Aut) |
1h48'06" |
34 |
Rafael Ladron/Guevara (Spa) |
37'37" |
66 |
Roger Verschaeve (Bel) |
1h52'38" |
35 |
Enrique Martinez-Heredia (Spa) |
38'42" |
67 |
Alain Desaever (Bel) |
1h54'42" |
36 |
Antonio Gonzalez (Spa) |
39'11" |
68 |
Jose-Luis Lopez-Cerron (Spa) |
1h56'36" |
37 |
Rene Dillen (Bel) |
46'00" |
69 |
Etienne Van der Helst (Bel) |
2h05'55" |
38 |
Ludo Loos (Bel) |
46'30" |
70 |
Daniele Tinchella (Ita) |
2h06'11" |
39 |
Roger De Cnijf (Bel) |
48'14" |
71 |
Roque Moya (Spa) |
2h08'38" |
40 |
Antonio Menendez (Spa) |
48'23" |
72 |
Johnny De Nul (Bel) |
2h09'14" |
41 |
Patrick Friou (Fra) |
48'29" |
73 |
Frans Van Vlierberghe (Bel) |
2h10'36" |
42 |
Jose-Luis Mayoz (Spa) |
48'37" |
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Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Felipe YANEZ (Spa) |
Novostil-Helios |
96 |
2 |
Vicente Belda (Spa) |
Transmallorca-Flavia-Gios |
65 |
3 |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Miko-Mercier-Vivagel |
47 |
4 |
Pedro Torres (Spa) |
Transmallorca-Flavia-Gios |
34 |
5 |
Manuel Esparza (Spa) |
Teka |
28 |
6 |
Angel Lopez (Spa) |
Colchon CR-Manzaneque |
26 |
7 |
Jose-Luis Mayoz (Spa) |
Novostil-Helios |
26 |
8 |
Marino Lejarreta (Spa) |
Novostil-Helios |
25 |
9 |
Christian Seznec (Fra) |
Miko-Mercier-Vivagel |
24 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Alfons DE WOLF (Bel) |
Lano-Boule d'Or |
249 |
2 |
Noel Dejonckheere (Bel) |
Teka |
173 |
3 |
Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) |
Miko-Mercier-Vivagel |
139 |
VaE 1978
VaE 1980
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