BBC Sport Online: Other Sports

Beloki takes Catalonia crown

Basque rider Joseba Beloki has won the 81st Tour of Catalonia after winning the eighth and final stage.

The ONCE rider won the 13.9km uphill time trial between Saint Julia de Loria and Alt de la Rabassa by 15 seconds from his fellow Spaniard Fernando Escartin.

The 27-year-old trailed his team-mate, Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, by 22 seconds going into the stage but beat him into third by 55 seconds to take the title.

Escartin's final ride also saw him climb the overall classification leapfrogging Aitor Gonzalez into third place.

The tour acted as the perfect dress rehearsal for the Tour de France in which Beloki will be hoping to improve on last year's third place finish.

Cycling's show case event starts on 7 July.

Tour of Catalonia stage eight results:

1. Joseba Beloki (Spa) 33min 47sec
2. Fernando Escartin (Spa) at 0:15sec
3. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) 0:55
4. Aitor Garmendia (Spa) 01:15
5. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) 01:34
6. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) 01:37
7. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) 01:42
8. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) 02:05
9. Daniele De Paoli (Ita) 02:10
10. Juan-Antonio Flecha (Spa) 02:17
Selected others:
12. Roberto Heras (Spa) 02:26
37. Bobby Julich (USA) 05:27
47. Jose-Maria Jimenez (Spa) 06:38
54. Ivan Gotti (Ita) 07:39

Back to top

Tour of Catalonia final overall classification:

1. Joseba Beloki (Spa) 26hr 40min 14sec
2. Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano (Spa) 0:33
3. Fernado Escartin (Spa) 0:41
4. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) 01:44
5. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) 03:03
6. Eladio Jimenez (Spa) 03:04
7. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) 03:40
8. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) 03:57
9. Unai Osa (Spa) 05:11
10. Juan-Antonio Flecha (Spa) 05:28
Selected others:
25. Ivan Gotti (Ita) 14:15
31. Bobby Julich (USA) 20:11
49. Jose-Maria Jimenez (Spa) 39:41

Back to top