Fuente, a fool on the hills.Part I.

Photo http://bikeraceinfo.com , Fuente winning in Superbagneres, Tour 1971

Jose Manuel Fuente, also known as " Tarangu" was born in Limanes, Asturias, the 30th of September, 1945.

He was a professional cyclist for Pepsi Cola and Karpi in his first years

and finished his career at Bianchi

www.todocoleccion.net

But he had his best years in the powerful Kas team, where he was known as one of the best climbers ever.

1971 was the year when Fuente started to show his climber conditions. He won the climber´s jersey in the Giro and won two mountain stages at the Tour ( one of them the dramatic to Luchon where Ocaña lost the Tour in Mente), even though he shouldn´t have won them because he was reinstated twice after missing the allowed time in early stages.

Fuente wins in Luchon 1971, the day Ocaña fell in Mente. Photo http://memoriagrafica.cartadeespaña.es

But the turning point was 1972. Fuente took part in the Vuelta, just to help some of his partners. In the stage that finished in Formigal, Fuente, who had been encouraged by the leader Perurena, attacked, first with José Grande ( from Werner team) and later alone, to win the stage with eight minutes to the favourites.

photo www.jmfuente.es

He was now a star, but that was not important for Fuente, he was taking part in the 1972 Giro, and he was just thinking in beating Merckx.

That was one of the typical things hat made him special and unforgettable.

The Giro started well for Fuente who won the 4th stage ( a half stage) with summit finish in Blockhaus, with Merckx 2'36" ahead.

Fuente, the winner of the Vuelta, was now the pink jersey.

Photo  ciclosbigarren.tumblr.com

And he made a mistake, he thought he was unstoppable, even for Merckx.

Merckx would made Fuente pay his confidence in the 7th stage to Catanzaro. In a hilly stage, Merckx and his team Molteni planned a very hard stage ( although it was a short stage), and in Monte Scuro, only Lazcano and Fuente from Kas , and Gosta Petterson resisted the cannibal.

Photo   www.flandriacafe.com

But when the descent came, only the Sweden was with Merckx, and Fuente and Lazcano decided ( after trying a chase) to be caught by the bunch.

Meanwhile Merckx, knowing that it was a very important day for the race, was riding as hard as possible.

Photo forums.france2.fr

When Petterson and Merckx arrived at Catanzaro, the Giro had a new leader, the rainbow jersey, the king of cycling, Eddy Merckx.

Petterson would win the stage, with Merckx second in the stage , and Fuente ( in the bunch) losing 4'13".

1. Eddy Merckx: 40hr 22min 7sec
2. Gösta Pettersson @ 10sec
3. José-Manuel Fuente @ 1min 37sec
4. Miguel-Maria Lasa @ 3min 12sec
5. Gianni Motta @ 4min 13sec
6. Francisco Galdos @ 4min 30sec
7. Italo Zilioli @ 4min 40sec
8. Vicente López-Carril @ 4min 45sec
9. Silvano Schiavon @ 5min 3sec
10. Santiago Lazcano @ 5min 4sec                  Source:  http://bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro1972.html

A new emperor in the 1972 Giro. Some days later, Merckx won the time trial to Forte dei Marmi, and left Fuente ( who was still third overall) 3´59" behind, with Petterson second at 1'32" of Merckx.

And Sunday the second of June , 1972, was going to be a very special day. It was a key stage, and Fuente had not surrendered to Merckx.

Profile    oldforum.cicloweb.it

The Spanish climber will make a new attempt to take the maglia. This was the chosen day for Kas to destroy the field, and Merckx knew that if he saved the day, his third win in Italy would be nearly assured.


In a nice stage till the bottom of Sestriere, Fuente decided that the opportunity was there and attacked furiously dropping Merckx before the summit.

There was a breakaway with Schoenmacker, Lopez Carril and Galdos, and Fuente caught them. Merckx seemed to suffer, the advantage was increasing, and in the bottom of Jafferau was 1'15". The spaniard was a real danger.

And the final climb didn´t dissapoint. In a day when people were in front of TVs following the great duel between the Belgian and the Spanish climber.

With Galdos dropped and L.Carril riding his last meters with Fuente, Merckx accelerated behind . It was a man to man fight. And it was Fuente´s favourite terrain.

Merckx was suffering a lot, and the miracle of Fuente was possible.

Photo    bikeraceinfo.com

Was the pink jersey in risk?.

Fuente was flying alone to the finish line, but he started to suffer with three kilometers left, and finally, in a dramatic moment, he was passed by Merckx, with just one kilometer to go. Fuente was finally cracking, and Merckx, who had seemed to be dead just some minutes before, was know taking control of the stage, and the Giro, because Gosta Petterson was losing more than a minute.

Merckx passes Fuente. Three years later we will see a similar moment when Thevenet caught Merckx in Pra Loup   Photo bikemag.hu

Photo  freeforumzone.leonardo.it

And later by Panizza. He had lost a good day, due to a hasty attack, in some way a typical Fuente attack.

Merckx won the stage with 26" to Panizza and 47" to Fuente, who was still third overall.

There were some important stages still before finishIng the giro, and Fuente , who was feeling very strong, wanted to show Merckx how powerful he was.

Merckx won the mountain stage of Livigno in spite of Fuente attacks,

 ... the Spaniard had a puncture that cost him a minute, and Merckx forced the pace in the final short descent

Photo  www.sirotti.it

 dropping Galdos, Bergamo and Panizza.

In spite of the bad luck, Fuente was second overall, and the stage with a summit finish at Stelvio was the following one. A short 88 kilometer stage, perfect for Fuente.

This was the overall:

1. Eddy Merckx:        83hr 40min 23sec
2. José-Manuel Fuente     5min 49sec
3. Gösta Pettersson          5min 52sec
4. Vicente López-Carril    10min 1sec
5. Miguel-Maria Lasa,      10 min 18sec
6. Francisco Galdos         10min 18sec                         Source: Bikeraceinfo.

In case of doubts, Fuente promised to attack ( as he had done during the Giro).

Only 74 riders were still alive, and left Livigno to face what was going to be an epic stage in Giro´s history.

It was a normal and nice stage till the bottom of the Stelvio when attacks started, first Lazcano, and finally Fuente with 12 kilometers left. Nobody could respond.

Photo   bikeraceinfo.com

Fuente was looking for a second stage, and trying to show the world of cycling that Merckx was human, as Ocaña had shown the year before in the Tour.

Merckx tried to chase, and Gimondi and Petterson were out of contention.

The gap was opening and Galdos left Merckx´s group with five kilometers to go. It was a Spanish showdown, with Carril and Lazcano on Merckx wheel

Photo   bikeraceinfo.com

Fuente was a heroe for Italian tifosi, and Merckx new that with Ocaña and the brave Fuente, the great Tours would be more difficult in the future.

Merckx was trying his best but couldn´t close the gap

Fuente won the stage, and he wrote his name in the history of Cima Coppi

Photo elmundodeportivo.com

 38" later Galdos appeared, achieving a place in the podium ... more than two minutes behind Fuente, an exhausted Merckx crossed the line. The Giro was saved for the Cannibal, but Fuente had proven that was a great champion too.

Italy enjoyed the moment, and Torriani was very proud of the Spanish " armada" who was fighting Merckx in spite of the superiority of the Belgian.

Italian newspaper l´Unita.

Four days later, Merckx entered Milan as the Emperor of the Giro, his third overall victory, tying myths such as Brunero, Bartali and Magni.

The final classification was ( Source : http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giro_de_Italia_1972 )

Clasificación general

1. Eddy Merckx Bélgica Molteni 103h 04' 04" 2. José Manuel Fuente  España Kas + 5' 30" 3. Francisco Galdós  España Kas + 10' 39" 4. Vicente López Carril  España Kas + 11' 17" 5. Wladimiro Panizza Italia Zonca + 13' 00" 6. Gösta Pettersson Suecia Ferretti + 13' 09" 7. Roger De Vlaeminck Bélgica Dreher + 13' 52" 8. Felice Gimondi Italia Salvarani + 14' 05" 9. Miguel María Lasa  España Kas + 14' 19" 10. Santiago Lazcano  España Kas + 17' 42"

And the most important thing, Fuente had discovered that this was his race, in spite of the victories in France or the 1972 Vuelta.

A Spanish podium in the Giro, second and third, the best giro ever for Spaniards, Fuente and Galdos ( among others) have shown Spanish supporters that Italy was not a forbidden land for them.

1972 had witnessed the first real fight between Merckx and " El Tarangu", but not the last ...

Photo  www.elcomercio.es

Bondone 1956, Gaul entra en la leyenda.

www.iconicphotogalleries.co.uk

En una época en la que corredores muy completos dominaban y en la que surgía con fuerza un nuevo nombre, Jacques Anquetil, un escalador luxemburgués aparecía.

   

Los grandes campeones forjan su leyenda en las victorias y en las derrotas, en el calor y en el frío, en la voluntad y en la perseverancia, y en el caso de éste genial e imprevisible escalador, sus mayores éxitos radican en alzarse con la victoria tras tener perdida la general, así sus tres victorias más importantes son consecuencia de un destello de genialidad , acompañado en dos ocasiones de un tiempo realmente infernal.

Corría 1956 y el Giro de Italia empezaba con grandes aspiraciones para el Luxemburgués, que ya había quedado 3º en el Tour del año anterior, y a pesar de su juventud ya era considerado uno de los mejores escaladores del momento. Sin embargo a pesar de ganar dos etapas se veía atrás en la general a más de 16 minutos del líder Fornara a 3 días de acabar la carrera en Milán y con una única etapa de montaña a la vista, la del día siguiente con llegada al Bondone tras pasar Costalunga, Rolle y Brocon. Pero no parecía claro que tuviera siquiera la mínima opción de remontar, ya que el mal tiempo invitaba a suspender la etapa, las presiones al director de la prueba Vicenzo Torriani eran enormes y éste dudaba, al amanecer la etapa salía de Merano para recorrer 242 kilómetros y el tiempo era frío y lluvioso, las condiciones meteorológicas eran infames en la cima del Bondone, aunque si alguien iba a hacer que la etapa reina se disputase ese era Torriani.

Tras un giro en el que las jornadas en rosa se las repartían casi en su totalidad los italianos Fantini y el actual líder y favorito para ganar en Milán Fornara, Torriani jugó a grande, esperaba más de este giro y sólo quedaba esta bala en la recamara, así que la apuró, nunca pensaría el bueno de Vicenzo que aquella jornada pasaría a los anales de la historia del ciclismo.

Empezaba la jornada en Merano con el equipo del líder contemporizando, Fornara sabía que tenía que bloquear la carrera y que pasaran kilómetros, todavía soñaba el italiano con una posible suspensión de la etapa. Por otra parte Gaul ya había comentado en su equipo Faema que él quería ganar la etapa y que haría todo lo posible , o ganaba o moría, pero lo iba a intentar.

El mal tiempo hacía que los corredores se lo tomaran con calma, a pesar de pasar primero por la cima de Costalunga y Bondone  Gaul todavía no había dado su hachazo pero sabía que su momento llegaría, quería la etapa y dar una demostración de clase.

Y llegó el momento, en Brocon el ángel voló, sólo Monti pudo ir con él y Bahamontes pero a cierta distancia, el pelotón empezaba a desgranarse y los abandonos a causa del frió a producirse, el más importante el del líder Fornara.

Pero ya todo daba igual, Gaul se deslizaba por las duras rampas de un Bondone helado buscando la gloria.

Sabía que la etapa era suya y que de los 89 ciclistas que habían partido esa mañana de Merano casi la mitad habían abandonado ( al final de la etapa sólo 43 eran los supervivientes) y lo más importante, algunos de los primeros como Fornara o Deffilipis también.

Era un esfuerzo agónico , sufría el Luxemburgués que aventajaba en más de 6 minutos a Fantini y en más de 10 a Magni, pero el frío lo estaba machacando, sólo su instinto de campeón lo salvaba.

Finalmente llegaba a meta totalmente helado tras realizar una de las mayores gestas de la historia del ciclismo, con su maillot pegado al cuerpo e inconsciente.

El ángel de las montañas había empleado 9h 7’ 29”, 7’44” menos que el 2º clasificado Fantini y casi 13 minutos menos que el ahora segundo de la general Magni.

El giro 56 tenía dueño, a un precio alto pues hubo que reanimarle tras la etapa en un estado de hipotermia y desmayo serio, pero él tenía lo que quería, el Giro era suyo.

www.cycleboredom.com

Dos días después entraba victorioso en Milan y ya era historia de la corsa rosa y del ciclismo en general.

bikeraceinfo.com

Años después,y también en las últimas jornadas, sus cabalgadas camino de Aix les Bains en el Tour 58 ( en otro día de perros) y de Courmayeur en el giro 59, dándole a estocada definitiva a Anquetil en la subida al Petit San Bernardo, confirmaban que era un mago de las montañas, que era algo más que un ciclista, era un mito, un escalador legendario.

Pero aún así, quizás la que queda grabada por encima de todas es aquella de aquel jovenzuelo de 23 años que se hacía con su primera grande en el Bondone, todavía hoy en día se recuerda aquella gesta que hizo de esta montaña una de los templos sagrados del ciclismo en Italia junto a Lavaredo, Gavia y Stelvio.

Sería una bonita época en la que dos de los mejores y más grandes escaladores de siempre,Gaul y Bahamontes, iban a deleitar a los aficionados al ciclismo .

Giro 1998.Part II. Impossible is nothing

Before starting, a little summary about Gardena´s stage

Roberto Conti: When are you going to attack?.

Macro Pantani: When does the Marmolada start?.

Roberto Conti: We´ve already ridden half of it?.

Then Tonkov attacked, Pantani followed and you know ... Marco the new pink jersey.

Francesco Moser: The podium is clear for Pantani, Tonkov and Zulle, we only need the order.

Now Marco was more optimistic, he had overcome Zulle and there were two mountains stages left, the first one with a steep climb to Alpe di Pampeago.

When riders faced the last climb of the day, Mercatone was pushing hard for their leader. Zulle semed to be better than the previous day.

It was the shortest day of the giro and there was a breakaway with Chepe González, who passed first in the climbs of San Floriano and Lavazze, riding alone to Papmeago where he was caught before the climb.

Then in the climb and after surviving to the hard rythm of Mercatone, Chepe started to work ( or at least it seemed that) for Pantani, till his manager Alvaro Pino forced him to stop ... Chepe would get angry and didn´t fight for he remaining kilometers.

dnevniki.ykt.ru

With less than four kilometers to go , Pantani attacked, and Zulle couldn,t resist him this time , but Tonkov was riding easily.

Photo   news.sirotti.it

Pantani was noticing that his main rivel could be the Russian rider, but he was tired from the previous day and could not avoid the victory of Tonkov, who became the favourite to win the giro.

team.marcassoli.pagesperso-orange.fr

Zulle lost 58" and the bonus time, and Guerini lost more than a minute.

The overall:

hemeroteca elmundodeportivo.com

Difficult for Pantani, one more time trial, Tonkov was good in that speciality, and what about Zulle ?. The Swiss rider was decreasing his level but with one more time trial to come noboy was brave enough to bury him.

The last mountain stage of the giro was scaring, long, very long, and with two great climbs, Croce Domin and Montecampione ( where Hinault destroyed the field in 1982 ... although it was not climbd at the same point, but some kilometers less):

It was a very hot day that Mapei and Mercatone tried to control. It was supposed to be a normal day till the final climb but Zulle struggled in Croce Domini and lost the options to won or even make a podium at the giro. The rider who gained more was Giuseppe Guerini, that could make a second consecutive podium in the giro.

Zulle was losing more than 9 minutes at the end of the descent, he was out of contention ... and he would lose 30'04" at the end of the day.

Time for epic, time for Marco, with all the Mercatone team doing their best and with more than 15 kilometers to the finish line, Marco attacked in the approximation of a bend, Tonkov sufferd but took his wheel, and Chepe Gonzalez ang Guerini tried but couldn,t.

www.ciclismonelcuore.com

It was a time trial for both of them, Marco continued forcing but Tonkov was comfortable behind him

www.cyclingnews.com

Half of the summit Marco asked Tonkov to cooperate, and Tonkov ride a little, but he was not confident with the Italian, who soon continued with his accelerations.

And with three kilometers left the key moment appeared. Marco noticed that his earring was weighting so much and threw it to the road ... then he accelerated, but Tonkov resisted

Photo    www.pezcyclingnews.com

nMarco openned a small gap, but Tonkov closed it, but showing the first signs of suffering, and Marco was still pushing hard, and he finally left Tonkov ... with more than two kilometers left, the dream of the giro was becoming possible

Scatta Pantani, scatta Pantani, tv commentarist were crazy, Pantani was leaving Tonkov

With two kilometers to go, the advantage was increasing. Pantani knew that was his moment and made the pressure

With the flag of one kilometer, the hopes of the Italian tifossi increased, 42" to Tonkov

I was excited, the dream was possible. Pantani was going to win his second stage, and was going to face the final time trial with more than a minute, still a difficult bussiness, but possible.


The last meters for Marco , nobody existed, no Zulle, Guerini, Clavero, Camenzind or the others, just Marco and Pavel, just Pantani and Tonkov

 And the win for Marco

Photo Bettini

Photo    bikeraceinfo.com

We had to wait Tonkov to know the final gap, and Tonkov who recovered hisself in the last kilometer finally lost 57", with the bonus the advantage of Marco would be 1'28" ... 34 km in Lugano ... enough, who knew, but that was a moment to enjoy.

The third in the stage would be Guerini more than three minutes behind.

The classification of the stage: ( bikeraceinfo) 

1. Marco Pantani: 7hr 42min 52sec
2. Pavel Tonkov @ 57sec
3. Giuseppe Guerini @ 3min 16sec
4. Francesco Secchiari @ 4min 4sec
5. Daniel Clavero s.t.
6. Daniele De Paoli @ 4min 16sec
7. Oskar Camenzind @ 5min 43sec
8. Nicola Miceli @ 5min 44sec
9. José Jaime Gonzalez @ 5min 46sec
10. Paolo Bettini @ 5min 48sec

 The overall: ( bikeraceinfo) 

1. Marco Pantani: 91hr 31min 26sec
2. Pavel Tonkov @ 1min 28sec
3. Giuseppe Guerini @ 5min 11sec
4. Oskar Camenzind @ 11min 32sec
5. Nicola Miceli @ 14min 23sec
6. Daniel Clavero @ 16min 15sec
7. Paolo Bettini @ 19min 10sec
8. Gianni Faresin @ 24min 17sec
9. Daniele De Paoli @ 26min 1sec
10. Serguei Gontchar @ 26min 28sec

 The statements to the press were:

Martinelli " I have never seen Marco climbing like today".

Pantani " Tonkov and I, have the same options, 50%".

Tonkov " I felt very well, and I was thinking in winning the stage but heat destroyed me. Now we are at 50% to win the giro".

The following stage finished with a bunch sprint won by Gian Matteo Fagnini, and now time for the time trial.

Photo profile iciclismo.it

But it was a confusing day. Forconi, a teammate of Pantani was disqualified before the time trial due to a high level of haematocrit.( the same than Nicola Miceli ).
And Marco Pantani was called at 6:30 am to be before than 7:00 at the control ... he would appear at 7:17 with a level of 49.2 ( close to the limit of 50 ) ... nobody complaint about the delay ... a mistery that perhaps was the fianl push to Marco in Campiglio a year later.

Tonkov was thought to be the favourite to win the giro , but the references were good for Marco since the beginning, both of them were riding well and in similar times

www.cyclingnews.com

Tonkov was getting close to the finish line, but he knew the Giro was lost ...

Finally Pantani arrived at the finish line with the third best time, 5 seconds better than Tonkov.

autobus.cyclingnews.com

The giro was for him.

Nicola Miceli and Riccardo Forconi had hematocrits above the allowed 50% and were not allowed to start the time trial.

1. Serguei Gontchar: 39min 54sec
2. Massimo Podenzana @ 29sec
3. Marco Pantani @ 30sec
4. Marco Velo @ 31sec
5. PAvel Tonkov @ 35sec
6. Marco Serpellini @ 1min 1sec
7. Oskar Camenzind @ 1mn 14sec
8. Paolo Savoldelli @ 1min 15sec
9. Alex Zülle @ 1min 32sec
10. Claus-Michael Möller @ 1min 40sec

 Three riders of Mercatone in the first four positions of the time trial ... and Forconi out, and Marco late in the control ... a shadow over the win ...


GC after Stage 21:( bikeraceinfo) 

1. Marco Pantani: 95hr 50min 39sec
2. Pavel Tonkov @ 1min 33sec
3. Giuseppe Guerini @ 6min 51sec
4. Oskar Camenzind @ 12min 16sec
5. Daniel CLavero @ 18min 4sec
6. Gianni Faresin @ !8min 31sec
7. Paolo Bettini @ 21min 3sec
8. Daniele De Paoli @ 21min 35sec
9. Paolo Savoldelli @ 25min 54sec
10. Serguei Gontchar @ 25min 58sec

Marco was going to win the Giro. Sometimes dreams come true. The Italian was the happiest man in the world. In spite of the suspictions of doping after the last time trial, he had deserved this win for years.

Photo bettini

Bad luck seemed to be behind forever ... Pantani had won ... a good hommage to his mentor Luciano Pezzi who was seriously ill ( and would day at the end of June ).

The last stage for Fagnini, the Giro for Pantani, Marco Pantani.

1998 Giro d'Italia Complete Final General Classification:( bikeraceinfo):

1. Marco Pantani (Mercatone Uno) 98hr 48min 32sec
2. Pavel Tonkov (Mapei) @ 1min 33sec
3. Giuseppe Guerini (Polti) @ 6min 51sec
4. Oscar Camenzind (Mapei) @ 12min 16sec
5. Daniel Clavero (Vitalicio Seguros) @ 18min 4sec
6. Gianni Faresin (Mapei) @ 18min 31sec
7. Paolo Bettini (ASICS) @ 21min 3sec
8. Daniele De Paoli (Ros Mary-Amica Chips) @ 21min 35sec
9. Paolo Savoldelli (Saeco) @ 25min 54sec
10. Serguei Gontchar (Cantina Tollo) @ 25min 58sec

bikeraceinfo.com

Now, more than 15 years after that Giro, I just can say that it is the race I have enjoyed the most during my life. I watched the best three weeks I can remember in a Grand Tour, and that´s all due to Marco.

Thanks Pantani.