2012 Vuelta a Andalucía

2012 Vuelta a Andalucía
Race details
Dates19–23 February
Stages5
Distance649 km (403.3 mi)
Winning time16h 08' 49"
Results
Winner  Alejandro Valverde (Spain) (Movistar Team)
  Second  Rein Taaramäe (Estonia) (Cofidis)
  Third  Jérôme Coppel (France) (Saur–Sojasun)
Points  Alejandro Valverde (Spain) (Movistar Team)
Mountains  Luis Ángel Maté (Spain) (Cofidis)
Sprints  Luis Ángel Maté (Spain) (Cofidis)
  Team RadioShack–Nissan
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The 2012 Vuelta a Andalucía was the 58th edition of the Vuelta a Andalucía, a regional Spanish road bicycle race. It was rated as a 2.1 event and was the 13th race of the UCI Europe Tour.[1] The race was held over 19–23 February.

The race was won by Spain's Alejandro Valverde,[2] of the Movistar Team, after taking the overall lead with victory on the second stage, and held the lead to the end of the race. Valverde's winning margin over runner-up Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis) was three seconds,[2] and Saur–Sojasun's Jérôme Coppel completed the podium, five seconds behind Taaramäe and eight seconds down on Valverde.[2] In the race's other classifications, Valverde won the points and combination classifications, Cofidis rider Luis Ángel Maté won both the mountains and sprints classifications, and RadioShack–Nissan finished at the head of the teams classification.[3]

Teams

Sixteen teams participated in the 2012 Vuelta a Andalucía, consisting of seven UCI ProTour teams, eight UCI Professional Continental teams, and one UCI Continental Team.[4]

Stages

Prologue

19 February 2012 — San Fernando 6 km (3.7 mi), Prologue (ITT)[5]
Prologue Results[6] and General Classification after Prologue[7]
Rider Team Time
1  Patrick Gretsch (GER) Project 1t4i 6' 49"
2  Markel Irizar (ESP) RadioShack–Nissan + 2"
3  Jérôme Coppel (FRA) Saur–Sojasun + 3"
4  Michael Matthews (AUS) Rabobank + 6"
5  Gaëtan Bille (BEL) Lotto–Belisol + 8"
6  Matthias Brändle (AUT) Team NetApp + 10"
7  Maxime Monfort (BEL) RadioShack–Nissan + 10"
8  Wilco Kelderman (NED) Rabobank + 11"
9  Tom Dumoulin (NED) Project 1t4i + 11"
10  Iván Gutiérrez (ESP) Movistar Team + 12"

Stage 1

20 February 2012 — Zahara de los Atunes to Benalmádena, 197.9 km (123.0 mi)
Stage 1 result[8]
Rider Team Time
1  Javier Ramírez (ESP) Andalucía 5h 02' 10"
2  Luis Ángel Maté (ESP) Cofidis s.t.
3  Will Routley (CAN) SpiderTech–C10 + 3"
4  Óscar Freire (ESP) Team Katusha + 3"
5  Juan José Lobato (ESP) Andalucía + 3"
6  Manuel Antonio Cardoso (POR) Caja Rural + 3"
7  Michael Matthews (AUS) Rabobank + 3"
8  Daniele Bennati (ITA) RadioShack–Nissan + 3"
9  Pim Ligthart (NED) Vacansoleil–DCM + 3"
10  Simon Geschke (GER) Project 1t4i + 3"
General Classification after Stage 1
Rider Team Time
1  Patrick Gretsch (GER) Project 1t4i 5h 09' 02"
2  Markel Irizar (ESP) RadioShack–Nissan + 2"
3  Jérôme Coppel (FRA) Saur–Sojasun + 3"
4  Michael Matthews (AUS) Rabobank + 6"
5  Gaëtan Bille (BEL) Lotto–Belisol + 8"
6  Matthias Brändle (AUT) Team NetApp + 10"
7  Maxime Monfort (BEL) RadioShack–Nissan + 10"
8  Wilco Kelderman (NED) Rabobank + 11"
9  Tom Dumoulin (NED) Project 1t4i + 11"
10  Iván Gutiérrez (ESP) Movistar Team + 12"

Stage 2

21 February 2012 — Málaga to Lucena, 144.7 km (89.9 mi)
Stage 2 result[9]
Rider Team Time
1  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team 4h 02' 37"
2  Denis Menchov (RUS) Team Katusha + 10"
3  Rein Taaramäe (EST) Cofidis + 10"
4  Fränk Schleck (LUX) RadioShack–Nissan + 10"
5  Sergey Lagutin (UZB) Vacansoleil–DCM + 13"
6  Igor Antón (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 15"
7  Matteo Carrara (ITA) Vacansoleil–DCM + 21"
8  Adrián Palomares (ESP) Andalucía + 21"
9  Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 23"
10  Jérôme Coppel (FRA) Saur–Sojasun + 24"
General Classification after Stage 2
Rider Team Time
1  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team 9h 11' 58"
2  Rein Taaramäe (EST) Cofidis + 3"
3  Jérôme Coppel (FRA) Saur–Sojasun + 8"
4  Denis Menchov (RUS) Team Katusha + 14"
5  Sergey Lagutin (UZB) Vacansoleil–DCM + 15"
6  Tom Dumoulin (NED) Project 1t4i + 18"
7  Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 21"
8  Fränk Schleck (LUX) RadioShack–Nissan + 22"
9  Matthias Brändle (AUT) Team NetApp + 23"
10  Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) RadioShack–Nissan + 26"

Stage 3

22 February 2012 — Montemayor to Las Gabias, 157.1 km (97.6 mi)
Stage 3 result[10]
Rider Team Time
1  Óscar Freire (ESP) Team Katusha 3h 41' 55"
2  Daniel Schorn (AUT) Team NetApp s.t.
3  Michael Matthews (AUS) Rabobank s.t.
4  Marco Marcato (ITA) Vacansoleil–DCM s.t.
5  Simon Geschke (GER) Project 1t4i s.t.
6  Pim Ligthart (NED) Vacansoleil–DCM s.t.
7  Stéphane Poulhies (FRA) Saur–Sojasun s.t.
8  Daniele Bennati (ITA) RadioShack–Nissan s.t.
9  Rein Taaramäe (EST) Cofidis s.t.
10  Sergey Lagutin (UZB) Vacansoleil–DCM s.t.
General Classification after Stage 3
Rider Team Time
1  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team 12h 53' 53"
2  Rein Taaramäe (EST) Cofidis + 3"
3  Jérôme Coppel (FRA) Saur–Sojasun + 8"
4  Denis Menchov (RUS) Team Katusha + 14"
5  Sergey Lagutin (UZB) Vacansoleil–DCM + 15"
6  Tom Dumoulin (NED) Project 1t4i + 18"
7  Fränk Schleck (LUX) RadioShack–Nissan + 22"
8  Matthias Brändle (AUT) Team NetApp + 23"
9  Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) RadioShack–Nissan + 26"
10  Mikel Astarloza (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 27"

Stage 4

23 February 2012 — Jaén to La Guardia de Jaén, 135.7 km (84.3 mi)
Stage 4 result[11]
Rider Team Time
1  Daniel Moreno (ESP) Team Katusha 3h 14' 54"
2  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team + 2"
3  Samuel Sánchez (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 2"
4  Sergey Lagutin (UZB) Vacansoleil–DCM + 2"
5  Jelle Vanendert (BEL) Lotto–Belisol + 2"
6  Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank + 2"
7  Denis Menchov (RUS) Team Katusha + 2"
8  Bauke Mollema (NED) Rabobank + 2"
9  Igor Antón (ESP) Euskaltel–Euskadi + 2"
10  Rein Taaramäe (EST) Cofidis + 2"
Final General Classification
Rider Team Time
1  Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar Team 16h 08' 49"
2  Rein Taaramäe (EST) Cofidis + 3"
3  Jérôme Coppel (FRA) Saur–Sojasun + 8"
4  Denis Menchov (RUS) Team Katusha + 14"
5  Sergey Lagutin (UZB) Vacansoleil–DCM + 15"
6  Tom Dumoulin (NED) Project 1t4i + 18"
7  Fränk Schleck (LUX) RadioShack–Nissan + 22"
8  Haimar Zubeldia (ESP) RadioShack–Nissan + 26"
9  Maxime Monfort (BEL) RadioShack–Nissan + 27"
10  Wilco Kelderman (NED) Rabobank + 28"

Classification leadership

Stage Winner General Classification
 Mountains Classification
 Sprints Classification
 Points Classification
 Combination Classification Best Andalusian Rider Classification Best Spanish Rider Classification Teams Classification
P Patrick Gretsch Patrick Gretsch not awarded not awarded Patrick Gretsch Patrick Gretsch Pablo Lechuga Markel Irizar RadioShack–Nissan
1 Javier Ramírez Luis Ángel Maté Luis Ángel Maté Luis Ángel Maté Javier Moreno Andalucía
2 Alejandro Valverde Alejandro Valverde Mickaël Buffaz Alejandro Valverde Alejandro Valverde Alejandro Valverde RadioShack–Nissan
3 Óscar Freire Óscar Freire
4 Daniel Moreno Luis Ángel Maté Alejandro Valverde
Final Alejandro Valverde Luis Ángel Maté Luis Ángel Maté Alejandro Valverde Alejandro Valverde Javier Moreno Alejandro Valverde RadioShack–Nissan

References

  1. ^ "2012 UCI Europe Tour Calendar". UCI Continental Circuits. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 1 July 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Moreno wins finale as Valverde wraps up Ruta del Sol". Yahoo! Eurosport. TF1 Group. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  3. ^ "Third Team win for 2012 season". RadioShack–Nissan. Leopard S.A. 23 February 2012. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  4. ^ "Official starters as of February 16, 2012". Cycling News. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  5. ^ "Gretsch wins Andalucia prologue". Cycling News. 19 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  6. ^ Moore, Kyle (19 February 2012). "Patrick Gretsch fastest in the prologue in Vuelta a Andulucía". Velonation. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Clasificaciones Generales" (in Spanish). Deporte Internacional, S.A. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  8. ^ "Javier Ramírez wins stage of Andalucia into Benalmádena". Cycling News. 20 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  9. ^ "Valverde victorious atop Alto del Santuario". Cycling News. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  10. ^ "Freire prevails in Las Gabias". Cycling News. 22 February 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  11. ^ Hymas, Peter (23 February 2012). "Valverde wins Vuelta a Andalucía". Cycling News. Retrieved 23 February 2012.