CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ, Spain, 15 September 2004 — Little-known American rider David Zabriskie secured the most important win of his career after riding much of the 165.8km 11th stage of the Tour of Spain by himself yesterday.
US Postal’s Zabriskie took off alone after just three kilometers of the stage from San Vicente del Raspeig to Caravaca de la Cruz and stayed in front the entire day, despite a ferocious acceleration by the peloton in the final kilometers.
“I never really believed I could stay away to the finish, but with 200 meters left to go I realized it had happened,” said the 25-year-old, who at one stage had an advantage of almost 20 minutes on the peloton.
Zabriskie, who only returned to racing in February after a bad training accident in the US last year when he collided with a vehicle and ended up with a broken leg and wrist, said his lonely ride had been under personal initiative and not team orders.
He finished in a time of four hours, five minutes and 31 seconds. Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi led the peloton home one minute 11 seconds behind Zabriskie. Australian Stuart O’Grady was third. Zabriskie’s teammate and compatriot Floyd Landis retained the overall lead.
Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, who was second overall just nine second behind Landis at the start of the 11th stage, had a bad fall early on and suffered multiple bruising and cuts but finished the stage. Valverde was seen by the race doctor three times during the race and then taken to hospital in Almeria for x-rays on his knee and ribs as a precaution after he finished the stage.
“In principle he doesn’t have anything serious, but we will have to see how he recovers after the stage.” race doctor Jose Maria Irigoyen said.
The Kelme rider came a cropper seven kilometers into the race after a mechanical problem blocked his tire, resulting in him falling head first over the handlebars.
The Spaniard lay shocked on the ground for several seconds but his teammates waited for him with the peloton slackening off their pace for several kilometers to allow Valverde to recuperate.
Valverde for his part thanked his teammates and other riders. “Their attitude was exemplary (his teammates and the peloton),” he said. “I hope I will recover during the rest day today.”
The Spaniard will have to as he faces a grueling 12th stage, a 145km run between Almeria and the observatory at Calar Alto, the most difficult climb of the three-week race.
