In Brief:

Early Breakaway: Astarloa (Saeco), Kroon (Rabobank), Piccoli(Lambre) & Navas (CRF).

3'22" lead with 110 km remaining

Martinez (Paternina-Costa de Almeria) breaks to pursue 4 leaders

High crosswinds entering Plains of LaMancha.

Peloton in 2 groups, evantailing

4'24" with 60 km remaining

Peloton catches Martinz, regroups

At 45 km 2'35" difference, at 30km 1'47" difference, by 30 km only 32" seperating group of 4 from peloton.

Group caught at 14 km

By 7km Fassa Bortolo head of peloton, Petacchi in posotion.

At 600 meters Cortinovis (Lampre) craches, causing disarray.

Petacchi, impervious, dominates sprint to win easily.



Stage classification

1 - PETACCHI fassa bortolo
2 - EDO angel Milaneza
3 - DEAN Julian CSC
4 - ZABEL telekom
5 - BUCCIERO saeco

General classification

1 - NOZAL
2 - ETXEBARRIA david qui était palcé dans le même temps que le 2éme Rodriguez et le 3ème reprend l'avantage sur eux au bénéfice des places.

Mountains

1 - CARDENAS 34
2 - PEREZ 25
3 - NOAZL 20
4 - JEKER 18
5 - SASTRE 16

Points

1 - PETACCHI
2 - ZABEL
3 - DEAN
4 - ETXEBARRIA

Combined

1 - NOZAL 15
2 - EXTXEBARRIA 16
3 - PEREZ 27
4 - RODRIGUEZ 21
5 - GONZALEZ de GALDEANO 22

Once keeps the team points classification

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Notes & Info:

J; Antonio Pecharroman (Costa de Almeria), an outside hopeful, abandons mid course due to injurizs sustained in fall 2 days ago.

Two Spanish riders risk facing grave problems, even arrest or ejection from the race. Igor Gonzalez De Galdeano (Once) and Txema Del Olmo (Milaneza) are both still under suspension by the CPLD, the French anti-doping body, for the use of banned substances (salbutamol & EPO respectively). Their suspension applies only to competion "organized or authorized by French federations". This is the Tour Of SPAIN; so, when the Vuelta crosses into the French Pyrénées on Saturday & Sunday, they will be entering a possible gray area.