|
Stages:
|
Pról.+19 |
|
Kms:
|
3.568 |
|
Riders:
|
109 |
|
Teams:
|
10 |
|
Kms/hour:
|
39,576 |
|
Retired:
|
50 |
Luis Ocaña, who, at that time, already was, the
best rider in the international peloton following the Belgian rider, Merckx,
was the winner in the first Vuelta a España of the 70´s. He confirmed, in
that way, his good form, which had hinted in the past edition and shot out
the hopes of all of the Spanish enthusiasts. However, it was not an easy victory.
Being absent the best foreign riders, the final leadership was disputed between
two Spanish riders: Ocaña himself and Agustín Tamames; the winner was not
clarified until the second sector of the last stage, keeping excitement until
the end.
Winner in the Prologue (called like that, for the first time), a six-kilometre-long
time trial across the streets of Cádiz. Ocaña was the first leader in this
edition, leadership which lost the following day in benefit of Piinen and
which got backin the ninth day. He wore the Yellow Jersey for four stages
until Tamames was able to beat him and gained the first position. It was clear,
by that time, that La Vuelta was a dispute between the two of them. Tamamés
kept the leadership until the very last day, but that fact did not get on
Ocaña´s nerves, who knew that he was far superior to him in the individual
tima trial; the rideer from Cuencawas waiting for the second sector of the
last stage to arrive, 29-kilometre-long time trial between Llodio and Bilbao.
Everything turned out as it was predicted and Ocaña won the final victory;
Tamamés shad to make do with the victory in the Climbers Overall Standings.
Apart from Ocaña´s first victory in one of the three big races in stages,
two other aspects stood out throughoutthis edition of Vuelta a España 1970;
the first one was the high average speed reached during the race, 39.576 km
an hour. The second aspect was the debut in Vuelta a España of a young rider
from Asturias called Jose Manuel Fuente. Some time later, Fuente and Ocaña
formed the duet of riders who caused more truobles to "the Belgian cannibal"
called Eddy Merckx.
