# 2003 Vuelta a España

The 58th edition of the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the three grand tours, was held from 6 September to 28 September 2003. It consisted of 21 stages covering a total of 2,957 km (1,837 mi), and was won by Roberto Heras of the U.S. Postal cycling team.
Isidro Nozal lead the general classification for much of the race until succumbing to the pressure posed by Roberto Heras who closed the gap to Nozal over the final days and took the jersey in the final time trial. The points classification was won by Erik Zabel from Germany, the mountains classification was won by Félix Cárdenas from Colombia and the combination classification was won by Alejandro Valverde. iBanesto.com was the winner of the team ranking. Alessandro Petacchi, an Italian sprinter won five stages.

## Route

List of stages :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 6 September | Gijón – Gijón | 28 km (17 mi) | | Team time trial | ONCE–Eroski |
| 2 | 7 September | Gijón – Cangas de Onís | 148 km (92 mi) | | | Luis Pérez (ESP) |
| 3 | 8 September | Cangas de Onís – Santander | 154.3 km (96 mi) | | | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 4 | 9 September | Santander – Burgos | 151 km (94 mi) | | | Unai Etxebarria (VEN) |
| 5 | 10 September | Soria – Zaragoza | 166.7 km (104 mi) | | | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 6 | 11 September | Zaragoza – Zaragoza | 43.8 km (27 mi) | | Individual time trial | Isidro Nozal (ESP) |
| 7 | 12 September | Huesca – Cauterets (France) | 190 km (118 mi) | | | Michael Rasmussen (DEN) |
| 8 | 13 September | Cauterets – Pla de Beret/Val d'Aran | 166 km (103 mi) | | | Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP) |
| 9 | 14 September | Vielha – Envalira (Andorra) | 174.8 km (109 mi) | | | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
| 10 | 15 September | Andorra – Sabadell | 194 km (121 mi) | | | Erik Zabel (GER) |
| | 16 September | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 11 | 17 September | Utiel – Cuenca | 162 km (101 mi) | | | Erik Zabel (GER) |
| 12 | 18 September | Cuenca – Albacete | 168.8 km (105 mi) | | | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 13 | 19 September | Albacete – Albacete | 53.3 km (33 mi) | | Individual time trial | Isidro Nozal (ESP) |
| 14 | 20 September | Albacete – Valdepeñas | 167.4 km (104 mi) | | | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| 15 | 21 September | Valdepeñas – La Pandera | 172.1 km (107 mi) | | | Alejandro Valverde (ESP) |
| | 22 September | | | | Rest day | Rest day | Rest day |
| 16 | 23 September | Jaén – Sierra Nevada | 162 km (101 mi) | | | Félix Cárdenas (COL) |
| 17 | 24 September | Granada – Córdoba | 188.4 km (117 mi) | | | David Millar (GBR) |
| 18 | 25 September | Las Rozas – Las Rozas | 143.8 km (89 mi) | | | Pedro Díaz Lobato (ESP) |
| 19 | 26 September | Alcobendas – Collado Villalba | 164 km (102 mi) | | | Filippo Simeoni (ITA) |
| 20 | 27 September | San Lorenzo de El Escorial – Alto de Abantos [es] | 11.2 km (7 mi) | | Individual time trial | Roberto Heras (ESP) |
| 21 | 28 September | Madrid – Madrid | 148.5 km (92 mi) | | | Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) |
| | Total | Total | 2,925 km (1,818 mi) | 2,925 km (1,818 mi) | 2,925 km (1,818 mi) | 2,925 km (1,818 mi) | 2,925 km (1,818 mi) |

## Jersey Progress

| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Combination classification | Team classification |
| 1 | ONCE–Eroski | Igor González de Galdeano | Igor González de Galdeano | Jan Hruška | Igor González de Galdeano | ONCE–Eroski |
| 2 | Luis Pérez | Joaquim Rodríguez | Joaquim Rodríguez | Luis Pérez | Luis Pérez | ONCE–Eroski |
| 3 | Alessandro Petacchi | Joaquim Rodríguez | Joaquim Rodríguez | Luis Pérez | Luis Pérez | ONCE–Eroski |
| 4 | Unai Etxebarria | Isidro Nozal | David Etxebarria | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 5 | Alessandro Petacchi | Isidro Nozal | Alessandro Petacchi | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 6 | Isidro Nozal | Isidro Nozal | Alessandro Petacchi | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 7 | Michael Rasmussen | Isidro Nozal | Alessandro Petacchi | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 8 | Joaquim Rodríguez | Isidro Nozal | Joaquim Rodríguez | Joan Horrach | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 9 | Alejandro Valverde | Isidro Nozal | Isidro Nozal | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 10 | Erik Zabel | Isidro Nozal | Alessandro Petacchi | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 11 | Erik Zabel | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 12 | Alessandro Petacchi | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 13 | Isidro Nozal | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 14 | Alessandro Petacchi | Isidro Nozal | Alessandro Petacchi | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski |
| 15 | Alejandro Valverde | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 16 | Félix Cárdenas | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 17 | David Millar | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 18 | Pedro Diaz Lobato | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 19 | Filippo Simeoni | Isidro Nozal | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | ONCE–Eroski |
| 20 | Roberto Heras | Roberto Heras | Alejandro Valverde | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | iBanesto.com |
| 21 | Alessandro Petacchi | Roberto Heras | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | iBanesto.com |
| Final | Final | Roberto Heras | Erik Zabel | Félix Cárdenas | Alejandro Valverde | iBanesto.com |

## General classification

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Roberto Heras | U.S. Postal | 69h31'52" |
| 2 | Isidro Nozal | ONCE–Eroski | '28" |
| 3 | Alejandro Valverde | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 2'25" |
| 4 | Igor González de Galdeano | ONCE–Eroski | 3'27" |
| 5 | Francisco Mancebo | iBanesto.com | 4'47" |
| 6 | Manuel Beltrán | U.S. Postal | 5'51" |
| 7 | Michael Rasmussen | Rabobank | 5'56" |
| 8 | Félix Cárdenas | Labarca 2-Cafe Baque | 6'33" |
| 9 | Unai Osa | iBanesto.com | 6'52" |
| 10 | Luis Pérez | Cofidis | 7'56" |
| 11 | Santos González | Domina Vacanze–Elitron | 9'08" |
| 12 | Óscar Sevilla | Kelme–Costa Blanca | 9'52" |
| 13 | Michele Scarponi | Domina Vacanze–Elitron | 10'13" |
| 14 | Marcos Serrano | Team ONCE | 12'51" |
| 15 | Félix Garcia | Team Bianchi | 14'18" |
| 16 | Txema Del Olmo | Milaneza–MSS | 14'38" |
| 17 | Óscar Pereiro | Phonak Hearing Systems | 17'05" |
| 18 | Iker Flores | Euskaltel–Euskadi | 18'31" |
| 19 | Guido Trentin | Cofidis | 29'34" |
| 20 | Josep Jufre | Colchon Relax–Fuenlabrada | 33'30" |
| 21 | Dario Frigo | Fassa Bortolo | 40'19" |
| 22 | Íñigo Cuesta | Cofidis | 41'18" |
| 23 | Leonardo Piepoli | iBanesto.com | 46'45" |
| 24 | Manuel Calvente | Team CSC | 47'54" |
| 25 | Aitor Osa | iBanesto.com | 49'39" |