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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
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Swiss Treat in Spain
The 51st Vuelta a Espana was held from September 7 to September 29, 1996. The race course consisted of 22 stages covering a total of 3,947 km.
The start list contained a large number of great riders taking part in 1996 edition. The list included defending champion Laurent Jalabert, Alex Zulle, Francesco Casagrande, Laurent Dufaux, Tony Rominger, Melchor Mauri, Fernando Escartín, Jose-Maria Jimenez and 5 time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain.
A maturing Swiss star Alex Zulle (ONCE) rode brilliantly and took the Maillot Amarillo on the 46.5 km Individual Time Trial.
Alex Zulle time trial win
SPECIAL NOTE: Grand Spanish champion Miguel Indurain, who finished second in the 1991 Vuelta, came to take one last chance at a Spanish victory. Sadly, on the Stage 13 climb of the Covadonga Indurain abandoned, while in 3rd place, and ended his professional racing career.
LOTUS-FESTINA’s Laurent Dufaux took on the entire ONCE team and attacked relentlessly. Unfazed by the attacks Zulle and his ONCE teammates were able to answer every move. Alex Zulle rode into the finish in Madrid for his first Vuelta a Espana victory.
SPECIAL NOTE: The1996 podium was shared by 3 Swiss riders:
Final General Classification |
x1. Alex ZULLE (Sui) 97h31'46" |
x2. Laurent Dufaux (Sui) +6'23" |
x3. Tony Rominger (Sui) +8'29" |
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Valencia-Valencia, 162 km |
Biagio Conte (Ita) |
Biagio Conte (Ita) |
Stage 2 Valencia-Cuenca, 210 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Biagio Conte (Ita) |
Stage 3 Cuenca-Albacete, 167.2 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 4 Albacete-Murcia, 166.5 km |
Tom Steels (Bel) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 5 Murcia-Almeria, 208.4 km |
Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Stage 6 Almeria-Malaga, 196.5 km |
Fabio Baldato (Ita) |
Fabio Baldato (Ita) |
Stage 7 Malaga-Marbella, 171.1 km |
Fabio Baldato (Ita) |
Fabio Baldato (Ita) |
Stage 8 Marbella-Jerez de la Frontera, 220.7 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Fabio Baldato (Ita) |
Stage 9 Jerez de la Frontera-Cordoba, 203.5 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Fabio Baldato (Ita) |
Stage 10 El Tiemblo-Avila, 46.5 km ITT |
Tony Rominger (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 11 Avila-Salamanca, 188 km |
Marco-Ant. Di Renzo (Spa) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 12 Benavente-Alto del Naranco, 188 km |
Danielo Nardello (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 13 Oviedo-Lagos de Covadonga, 159 km |
Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 14 Cangas Onis-Parque Cabarceno, 202 km |
Biagio Conte (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 15 Par Cabarceno-Alto Cruz Deman, 220 km |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 16 Logrono-Sabinanigo, 220.9 km |
Nicola Minali (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 17 Sabinanigo-Ampriu/Cerier, 165.7 km |
Oliverio Rincon (Col) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 18 Benasque-Zaragoza, 219.5 km |
Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 19 Getafe-Avilla, 217.1 km |
Laurent Dufaux (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 20 Avila-Destilerias DYC, 209.5 km |
Gianni Bugno (Ita) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 21 Segovia-Detilerias DYC, 43 km ITT |
Tony Rominger (Sui) |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Stage 22 Madrid-Madrid, 157.6 km |
Tom Steels (Bel) |
 Alex Zulle (Sui)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Tony Rominger (Sui) |
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) |
| VaE September 7 - September 29, 1996 |
| 3,947.0 km |
1. Alex ZULLE (Sui) 97h31'46" |
2. Laurent Dufaux (Sui) +6'23" |
3. Tony Rominger (Sui) +8'29" |
Starters: 180 |
Finishers: 115 |
Average Speed: 40.470 km/h |
VaE 1995
VaE 1997
Return to the Timeline ToC
Return to the Race Snippets |
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51st Vuelta a Espana 1996
