Vuelta a España 1998 - 10 Estación de Pal Jimenez

Vuelta a España 1998 - 10, Vic - Andorra Estacio de Pal, 200 kms

Coll de la Creueta 1916m
Alto de la Comella 1340m
Alto de Ordino 1990m
Arcalis 2230m

1. José Maria Jiminez Sastre (Spa) Banesto 5.22.39 (37.062)
2. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 0.16
3. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.26
4. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Mapei-Bricobi 1.31
5. Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 1.31
6. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Cantina Tollo 1.31
7. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 1.31
8. Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa) Banesto 1.31
9. José Joaquim Castelblanco (Col) Avianca-Telecom 1.31
10. Alex Zülle (Swi) Festina-Lotus 1.31
11. Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) Banesto 1.31
12. José Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.31
13. Andrei Zintchenko (Rus) Vitalicio Seguros 1.31
14. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.31
15. Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.31
16. Gianluca Valoti (Ita) Polti 1.31
17. Pascal Hervé (Spa) Festina-Lotus 2.17
18. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina-Lotus 2.17
19. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal 2.19
20. David Plaza Romero (Spa) Cofidis 2.19
21. Julio César Aguirre Cabrera (Col) Avianca-Telecom 2.34
22. Felix M. Garcia Casas (Spa) Festina-Lotus 2.45
23. Roberto Laiseka Jaio (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.45
24. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco 4.18
25. Jon Odriozola Mugarza (Spa) Banesto 4.18
26. Jairo Hernandez Montoya (Col) Avianca-Telecom 5.02
27. Mikel Zarrabeitia Uranga (Spa) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 5.28
28. Marco Serpellini (Ita) Brescialat-Liquigas 6.00
29. Aitor Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Banesto 6.00
30. Ludo Dierickxsens (Bel) Lotto-Mobistar 7.02

GC after Stage 10

1. Abraham Olano Manzano (Spa) Banesto 42.56.59
2. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) ONCE-Deutsche Bank 0.41
3. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.10
4. José Maria Jiminez Sastre (Spa) Banesto 1.36
5. Alvaro Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.06
6. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal 2.18
7. Daniel Clavero Sebastian (Spa) Vitalicio Seguros 2.20
8. Alex Zülle (Swi) Festina-Lotus 2.25
9. Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 2.43
10. Oskar Camenzind (Swi) Mapei-Bricobi 2.44

Stage Report

It was a tough day for Abraham Olano in his quest to prove he can win the Vuelta. He looked comfortable however as he let his teammate and climbing specialist, Jose Maria Jimenez win the 199.3 stage from Vic to Andorra Jimenez was assigned the role of watching Kelme's Fernando Escartin who was considered the principal danger once the race started going into the mountains. Jimenez sat the wheel of Escartin over the last of the 4 major climbs and then dropped him 3 kms before the finish at the Andorra ski village (1999 metres) to win by 16 seconds. Escartin however clawed back 1.15 on GC and is now in 3rd spot only 1.10 behind leader Olano. Jimenez, an early GC leader lost a lot of time in the ITT and is now only 1.36 down on Olano.
He told the press later that his role in the race was clearly to help Olano win the Tour. Olano, for his part, was 1.31 down on Jimenez in a small group containing Jalabert and Zulle among others, and was happy with the way things panned out. He told the press: "This could have been my worst day. This was the best day to attack me, but instead I had no problems. I felt strong and comfortable, and the rest of the mountainous stages are not so severe as this one."

Not so happy were a number of riders who were shattered by the climbing. 13 riders abandoned including Laurent Dufaux who indicated he was sick as the race went up the first mountain for the day.

The other big loser for the day was David Garcia who fractured his left hip following a bad crash on one of the descents.

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