1981 Vuelta a España

The 36th Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the three grand tours, was held from 21 April to 10 May 1981. It consisted of 19 stages covering a total of 3,446 km (2,141 mi), and was won by Giovanni Battaglin of the Inoxpran cycling team.

1981 Vuelta a España
Race details
Dates21 April – 10 May
Stages19
Distance3,446 km (2,141 mi)
Winning time98h 04' 49"
Results
Winner  Giovanni Battaglin (ITA) (Inoxpran)
  Second  Pedro Muñoz Machín Rodríguez (ESP) (Zor-Helios)
  Third  Vicente Belda (ESP) (Kelme–Gios)
Points  Francisco Javier Cedena (ESP) (Colchon C.R.)
Mountains  José Luis Laguía (ESP) (Reynolds)
Sprints  Hugues Grondin (FRA) (Manzaneque)
  Team Zor

Regis Clere won the prologue of the race and kept the leader’s jersey until the mountain time trial where on the very long climb to Sierra Nevada, Giovanni Battaglin won the stage and took over the leader’s jersey. The only threat to Battaglin’s lead was Pedro Muñoz.[1] The entire Teka team withdrew from the race withdrawing potential favourites Marino Lejarreta and Alberto Fernández.[2] Battaglin and his Inoxpran team withstood the challenge from the Spanish and brought Battaglin to his first grand tour victory.[3] Three days later after Battaglin’s triumph in Spain, he began the 1981 Giro d'Italia which he would win becoming the second rider after Eddy Merckx to win the Vuelta-Giro double.

Teams and riders
Main article: List of teams and cyclists in the 1981 Vuelta a España

Route
List of stages[4][5]
Stage Date Course Distance Type Winner
P 21 April Santander – Santander 6.3 km (4 mi) Individual time trial  Régis Clère (FRA)
1 22 April Santander – Avilés 221 km (137 mi)  Guido Bontempi (ITA)
2 23 April Avilés – León 159 km (99 mi)  Alfredo Chinetti (ITA)
3 24 April León – Salamanca 195 km (121 mi)  Guido Bontempi (ITA)
4 25 April Salamanca – Cáceres 206 km (128 mi)  Celestino Prieto (ESP)
5 26 April Cáceres – Mérida 152 km (94 mi)  Heddie Nieuwdorp (NED)
6 27 April Mérida – Seville 199 km (124 mi)  Jos Lammertink (NED)
7 28 April Écija – Jaén 181 km (112 mi)  Juan Fernández (ESP)
8a 29 April Jaén – Granada 100 km (62 mi)  José María Yurrebaso (ESP)
8b 29 April Granada – Sierra Nevada 30.5 km (19 mi) Individual time trial  Giovanni Battaglin (ITA)
9 30 April Baza – Murcia 204 km (127 mi)  Imanol Murga (ESP)
10 1 May Murcia – Almussafes 223 km (139 mi)  Kim Andersen (DEN)
11 2 May Almussafes – Peniscola 193 km (120 mi)  Jesús Suárez Cueva (ESP)
12 3 May Peniscola – Esparreguera 217 km (135 mi)  Frédéric Vichot (FRA)
13 4 May Esparreguera – Rasos de Peguera 187 km (116 mi)  Vicente Belda (ESP)
14 5 May Gironella – Balaguer 197 km (122 mi)  José Luis López Cerrón (ESP)
15a 6 May Balaguer – Alfajarín 146 km (91 mi)  Pedro Muñoz Machín (ESP)
15b 6 May Zaragoza – Zaragoza 11.3 km (7 mi) Individual time trial  Régis Clère (FRA)
16 7 May Calatayud – Torrejón de Ardoz 209 km (130 mi)  Álvaro Pino (ESP)
17 8 May Torrejón de Ardoz – Segovia 150 km (93 mi)  Miguel María Lasa (ESP)
18 9 May Segovia – Los Ángeles de San Rafael 175 km (109 mi)  Ángel Arroyo (ESP)
19 10 May Madrid – Madrid 84 km (52 mi)  Francisco Javier Cedena (ESP)
Total 3,446 km (2,141 mi)

Final standings

General classification
Final general classification (1–10)[6]
Rank Rider Team Time
1 Giovanni Battaglin (ITA)Inoxpran98h 04' 49"
2 Pedro Muñoz Machín Rodríguez (ESP)Zor-Helios+ 2' 09"
3 Vicente Belda (ESP)Kelme-Gios+ 2' 29"
4 Jorgen Marcussen (DEN)Inoxpran+ 3' 33"
5 Antonio Coll Pantanilla (ESP)Colchon C.R.+ 4' 26"
6 Ángel Arroyo (ESP)Zor-Helios+ 4' 30"
7 José Luis Laguía (ESP)Reynolds-Galli+ 6' 05"
8 Faustino Rupérez (ESP)Zor-Helios+ 7' 09"
9 Régis Clère (FRA)Miko-Mercier+ 7' 23"
10 Miguel María Lasa (ESP)Zor-Helios+ 10' 54"

Team classification
Final team classification[6]
RankTeamTime
1Zor Helios294h 09' 15"
2Inoxpran+ 17' 14"
3Colchon CR+ 43' 04"
4Kelme+ 1h 05' 01"
5Miko Mercier+ 1h 19' 31"
6Reynolds+ 1h 48' 41"
7H.B.+ 2h 06' 31"
8Manzaneque+ 2h 30' 41"

Points classification
Final points classification[6]
RankRiderTeamPoints
1 Francisco Javier Cedena (ESP)Colchon211
2 Jesus Suarez Cueva (ESP)Kelme137
3 Miguel Maria Lasa (ESP)Zor134

Mountains classification
Final mountains classification[6]
RankRiderTeamPoints
1 José Luis Laguia (ESP)Reynolds144
2 Vicente Belda (ESP)Kelme98
3 José Luis Lopez Cerron (ESP)Zor69
4 Giovanni Battaglin (ITA)Inoxpran60
5 Pedro Muñoz Machín Rodríguez (ESP)Zor57

Sprints classification
Final sprints classification[6]
RankRiderTeamPoints
1 Hugues Grondin (FRA)Manzaneque21
2 Miguel Acha (ESP)Reynolds12
3 Jesus Suarez Cueva (ESP)Kelme10

References
General
  • "Información etapas" (in Spanish). LaVuelta.com. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
Specific
  1. "1981 General Information". La Vuelta.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  2. "1982 General Information". La Vuelta.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-21. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  3. "Battaglin flies among the nest of eagles". Bellati sport.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
  4. "1981 » 36th Vuelta a Espana". Procyclingstats. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  5. "36ème Vuelta a España 1981". Memoire du cyclisme (in French). Archived from the original on 25 October 2004.
  6. "ClasificacioManzanequenes oficiales" (PDF) (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 11 May 1981. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
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