| |
By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
|
|
Frenchman by 6"
The 1984 Vuelta a Espana was not as spectacular as the previous edition but it did not lack for emotion. Second year professional Eric Caritoux (Skil-Sem) was known for his climbing ability, but he was not on the list of pre-race favorite to win the Vuelta.
Eric Caritoux (center) won the only Grand Tour of his career at the 1984 Vuelta a Espana.
On Stage 12, a 199 km from Santander to Lagos de Covadonga, a 5 rider breakaway including Caritoux, German Raimund Dietzen, and Alberto Fernandez escaped on the final climb. Race leader Pedro Delgado did not make the breakaway group. Caritoux finished second on the stage behind the Dietzen, but the time gained by the breakaway was enough to put Caritoux into the race lead ahead of Delgado.
Caritoux lost further time in the final Individual Time Trial in Torrejón de Ardoz. Alberto Fernández, trailing by 37” at the start of the stage, rode to his limit, but only gained 31” on the race leader. Caritoux managed to finish the stage with a slim lead of only six seconds over Fernández.
Eric Caritoux rode into Madrid to claim the 1984 Vuelta a Espana victory by six seconds. The winning time was smallest margin in the history of the Vuelta a Espana.
SPECIAL NOTE: Sadly, Alberto Fernández and his wife died later on in 1984 (December 14, 1984) after an automobile accident. He was one month short of his 30th birthday.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Prologue Jerez de la Frontera, 6.6 km ITT |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 1 Jerez-Malaga, 272 km |
Noel Dejonckheere (Bel) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 2 Malaga-Almeria, 202 km |
Guido Van Calster (Bel) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 3 Mojacar-Elche, 204 km |
Jozef Lieckens (Bel) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 4 Elche-Valencia, 197 km |
Noel Dejonckheere (Bel) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 5 Valencia-Salou, 245 km |
Jozef Lieckens (Bel) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 6 Salou-S.Quirze del Valles, 113 km |
Michel Pollentier (Fra) |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Stage 7 S.Qui del Valles-Rassos de Peguera, 184 km |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Pedro Delgado (Spa) |
Stage 8 Cardona-Zaragoza, 269 km |
Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel) |
Pedro Delgado (Spa) |
Stage 9 Zaragoza-Soria, 159 km |
Orlando Maini (Ita) |
Pedro Delgado (Spa) |
Stage 10 Soria-Burgos, 148 km |
Palmiro Masciarelli (Ita) |
Pedro Delgado (Spa) |
Stage 11 Burgos-Santander, 182 km |
Francesco Moser (Ita) |
Pedro Delgado (Spa) |
Stage 12 Santander-Lagos de Covadonga, 199 km |
Raimund Dietzen (Ger) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 13 Cangas de Onis-Oviedo, 170 km |
Guido Van Calster (Bel) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 14 Lugones-Monte Naranco, 12 km ITT |
Julian Gorospe (Spa) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 15 Oviedo-Leon, 121 km |
Antonio Coll (Spa) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 16 Leon-Valladolid, 138 km |
Daniel Rossel (Bel) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 17 Valladolid-Segovia, 258 km |
Jose Recio (Spa) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 18a Segovia-Torrejon, 145 km |
Jesus Suarez-Cueva (Spa) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 18b Torrejon, 33 km ITT |
Julian Gorospe (Spa) |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
Stage 19 Torrejon-Madrid, 139 km |
Noel Dejonkheere (Bel) |
 Eric Caritoux (Fra)
|
|
BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Felipe Yanez (Spa) |
|
POINTS COMPETITION |
 Guido Van Calster (Bel) |
| VaE April 17 - May 6, 1984 |
| 3,593.6 km |
1. Eric CARITOUX (Fra) 90h08'03" |
2. Alberto Fernandez (Spa) +6" |
3. Raimund Dietzen (Ger) +1'33" |
Starters: 130 |
Finishers: 97 |
Average Speed: 39.869 km/h |
VaE 1983
VaE 1985
Return to the Timeline ToC
Return to the Race Snippets |
|
39th Vuelta a Espana 1984
