- May 6, 2009
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Kicks off on the 22nd in yet another new date. The race has struggled a fair bit in recent years with concerns over sponsorship, and I believe Catalunya is not exactly a hotbed of Spanish cycling (even though loads of pro cyclists live in Girona). Andy Schleck is down to race, after Contador dropped out to race in Corsica at the Criterium International, and Piestrong originally was meant to race, but he pulled out when he found AC was going to race.
Past winners include: Anquetil (1967), Merckx (1968), Ocaña (1971), Gimondi (1972), Thevenet (1974), Maertens (1977), Moser (1978), Lejarreta (1980, 1989), Kelly (1984, 1986), (Robert) Millar (1985), Indurain (1988, 1991, 1992), Mejia (1993), Chiapucci (1994), Jalabert (1995), Zulle (1996), Escartin (1997), Triki Beltran (1999), José Maria Jimenez (2000), Beloki (2001), Heras (2002), Popovych (2005), Karpets (2007), Valverde (2009).
Mariano Cañardo is the most successful winner of the race (1928, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1939). Special mention goes to Miguel Poblet (who turned 82 yesterday), who won the race in 1952, and 1960. He also went onto win Milan San Remo (1957, 1969), 20 Giro d'Italia stages (including the points jersey in 1968), and 3 stages apiece in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
So I will spare you the history lesson that I just gave you and which no doubt you were bored reading
, here are the stages:
Stage 1: Lloret de Mar (ITT), 3.6 km
Stage 2: Salt - Banyoles, 182.6 km
Stage 3: La Vall d'En Bas - La Seu d'Urgell, 185.9 km
Continued on the next page...
Past winners include: Anquetil (1967), Merckx (1968), Ocaña (1971), Gimondi (1972), Thevenet (1974), Maertens (1977), Moser (1978), Lejarreta (1980, 1989), Kelly (1984, 1986), (Robert) Millar (1985), Indurain (1988, 1991, 1992), Mejia (1993), Chiapucci (1994), Jalabert (1995), Zulle (1996), Escartin (1997), Triki Beltran (1999), José Maria Jimenez (2000), Beloki (2001), Heras (2002), Popovych (2005), Karpets (2007), Valverde (2009).
Mariano Cañardo is the most successful winner of the race (1928, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1939). Special mention goes to Miguel Poblet (who turned 82 yesterday), who won the race in 1952, and 1960. He also went onto win Milan San Remo (1957, 1969), 20 Giro d'Italia stages (including the points jersey in 1968), and 3 stages apiece in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
So I will spare you the history lesson that I just gave you and which no doubt you were bored reading
Stage 1: Lloret de Mar (ITT), 3.6 km

Stage 2: Salt - Banyoles, 182.6 km

Stage 3: La Vall d'En Bas - La Seu d'Urgell, 185.9 km

Continued on the next page...