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By Barry Boyce, CyclingRevealed Historian
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Struggling German Surprises the Vuelta
The 54th Vuelta a Espana was held from September 4 to September 26, 1999. The race course consisted of 22 stages covering a total of 3,781 km. The race started in Murcia with temperatures of Spanish hot weather playing a factor early in the race. As the race turned north at the end of the first week the hot weather changed to rain and wind.
SPECIAL NOTE: The "Maillot Amarillo" (Yellow jersey), the race leader’s jersey since 1955, was replaced in 1999 with the "Jersey de Oro" (Golden jersey).
Twenty-six years old German Jan Ullrich was not one of the pre-race favorites because of a very bad early season. By the end of the first week the big German was riding very well.
Olano during the Time Trial
Defending Vuelta champion Abraham Olano won the second time trial on Stage 6 and put on the Jersey de Oro.
Ullrich (L) attacking Olano (R)
Olano was injured several stages after taking the race lead in a bad crash. He continued the race, but he was unable to keep his leadership jersey. Ullrich took the jersey as Olano, with broken ribs, painfully abandoned the race.
From Stage 12 until the finish in Madrid Ullrich and his TELEKOM team control the race. Jan Ullrich rode across the finish line with 4’15” lead on second placed Igor González de Galdeano to gain his first Grand Tour victory.
Podium: Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (L), Ullrich (C), Heras (R)
SPECIAL NOTE: After his Vuelta victory Germany's Jan Ullrich continued his strong late season racing in the World Championships. He won the Rainbow Jersey in the Individual Time Trial by several second over Sweden's Michael Andersson.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Prologue Murcia, 6.1 km ITT |
Igor Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) |
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) |
Stage 1 Murcia-Benidorm, 179 km |
Robert Hunter (RSA) |
Jacky Durand (Fra) |
Stage 2 Alicante-Albacete, 206 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Jacky Durand (Fra) |
Stage 3 La Roda-Fuenlabrada, 233 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Stage 4 Las Rosas-Salamanca, 185.6 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Stage 5 Bejar-Cuidad Rodrigo, 160 km |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 6 Salamanca-Salamanca, 46.4 km ITT |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 7 Salamanca-Leon, 217 km |
Marcel Wust (Ger) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 8 Leon-Alto del Angliru, 175.6 km |
Jose-Maria Jimenez (Spa) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 9 Gijon-Los Corrales de Buelna, 185.8 km |
Laurent Brochard (Fra) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 10 Zaragoza-Zaragoza, 183.2 km |
Serguei Outchakov (Ukr) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 11 Huesca-Val d'Aran/Plat de Beret, 201 km |
Daniele Nardello (Ita) |
Abraham Olano (Spa) |
Stage 12 Sort-Andorra/Arcalis, 147.4 km |
Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 13 Andorra-Castellar del Riu, 149 km |
Alex Zulle (Sui) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 14 Circuit Barcelona/Montjuich, 94.4 km* |
Fabio Roscioli (Ita) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 15 La Senia-Valencia, 193.4 km |
Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 16 Valencia-Teruel, 200.4 km |
Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 17 Los Bronchales-Guadalajara, 225 km |
Cristian Moreni (Ita) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 18 Guadalajara-Alto de Abantos, 166.3 km |
Roberto Laiseka (Spa) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 19 S.Lorenzo de El Escorial-Avila, 184.6 km |
Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 20 El Tiemblo-Avila, 46.5 km ITT |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Jan Ullrich (Ger) |
Stage 21 Madrid-Madrid, 163 km |
Jeroen Blijlevens (Ned) |
 Jan Ullrich (Ger)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
 Jose-Maria Jimenez (Spa) |
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POINTS COMPETITION |
 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel) |
| VaE September 4 - September 26, 1999 |
| 3,548.7 km |
1. Jan ULLRICH (Ger) 89h52'03" |
2. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) +4'15" |
3. Roberto Heras (Spa) +5'57" |
Starters: 189 |
Finishers: 115 |
Average Speed: 39.449 km/h |
VaE 1998
VaE 2000
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Return to the Race Snippets |
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54th Vuelta a Espana 1999
