# 1997 Vuelta a España

The 52nd 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 1997. It consisted of 22 stages covering a total of 3,773 km (2,344 mi), and was won by Alex Zülle of the ONCE cycling team.

## Route

List of stages :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner | GC leader |
| 1 | 6 September | Lisbon – Estoril | 155 km (96 mi) | | | Lars Michaelsen (DEN) | Lars Michaelsen (DEN) |
| 2 | 7 September | Évora – Vilamoura | 225 km (140 mi) | | | Marcel Wüst (GER) | Lars Michaelsen (DEN) |
| 3 | 8 September | Loulé – Huelva | 173 km (107 mi) | | | Marcel Wüst (GER) | Lars Michaelsen (DEN) |
| 4 | 9 September | Huelva – Jerez de la Frontera | 192 km (119 mi) | | | Eleuterio Anguita (ESP) | Fabrizio Guidi (ITA) |
| 5 | 10 September | Jerez de la Frontera – Málaga | 230 km (143 mi) | | | Marcel Wüst (GER) | Lars Michaelsen (DEN) |
| 6 | 11 September | Málaga – Granada | 147 km (91 mi) | | Mountain stage | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) |
| 7 | 12 September | Guadix – Sierra Nevada | 219 km (136 mi) | | Mountain stage | Yvon Ledanois (FRA) | Laurent Dufaux (SUI) |
| 8 | 13 September | Granada – Córdoba | 176 km (109 mi) | | | Bart Voskamp (NED) | Laurent Dufaux (SUI) |
| 9 | 14 September | Córdoba | 35 km (22 mi) | | Individual time trial | Melcior Mauri (ESP) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 10 | 15 September | Córdoba – Almendralejo | 224 km (139 mi) | | | Mariano Piccoli (ITA) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 11 | 16 September | Almendralejo – Plasencia | 194 km (121 mi) | | | Ján Svorada (CZE) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 12 | 17 September | León – Alto del Morredero [es] | 147 km (91 mi) | | Mountain stage | Roberto Heras (ESP) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 13 | 18 September | Ponferrada – Estación Valgrande-Pajares [es] | 196 km (122 mi) | | Mountain stage | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 14 | 19 September | Oviedo – Alto del Naranco | 169 km (105 mi) | | Mountain stage | José Vicente García Acosta (ESP) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 15 | 20 September | Oviedo – Lagos de Covadonga | 160 km (99 mi) | | Mountain stage | Pavel Tonkov (RUS) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 16 | 21 September | Cangas de Onís – Santander | 170 km (106 mi) | | | Ján Svorada (CZE) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 17 | 22 September | Santander – Burgos | 183 km (114 mi) | | | Ján Svorada (CZE) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 18 | 23 September | Burgos – Valladolid | 184 km (114 mi) | | | Léon van Bon (NED) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 19 | 24 September | Valladolid – Los Ángeles de San Rafael | 193 km (120 mi) | | Mountain stage | José María Jiménez (ESP) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 20 | 25 September | Los Ángeles de San Rafael – Ávila | 199 km (124 mi) | | Mountain stage | Laurent Jalabert (FRA) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 21 | 26 September | Alcobendas | 43 km (27 mi) | | Individual time trial | Alex Zülle (SUI) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| 22 | 27 September | Madrid | 154 km (96 mi) | | | Max van Heeswijk (NED) | Alex Zülle (SUI) |
| | Total | Total | 3,773 km (2,344 mi) | 3,773 km (2,344 mi) | 3,773 km (2,344 mi) | 3,773 km (2,344 mi) | 3,773 km (2,344 mi) |

## Final General Classification Standings

| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alex Zülle | ONCE | 91h 15' 55s |
| 2 | Fernando Escartín | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 5' 07s |
| 3 | Laurent Dufaux | Festina–Lotus | + 6' 11s |
| 4 | Enrico Zaina | Asics–CGA | + 7' 24s |
| 5 | Roberto Heras | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 8' 04s |
| 6 | Daniel Clavero | Estepona–Toscaf | + 10' 02s |
| 7 | Laurent Jalabert | ONCE | + 10' 03s |
| 8 | Marcos Serrano | Kelme–Costa Blanca | + 10' 40s |
| 9 | Gianni Faresin | Mapei–GB | + 13' 53s |
| 10 | Yvon Ledanois | GAN | + 15' 40s |
| 11 | Claudio Chiappucci | Asics–CGA | |
| 12 | Philippe Bordenave | Casino | |
| 13 | Felix Garcia | Festina–Lotus | |
| 14 | José Ramón Uriarte | Banesto | |
| 15 | Carlos Alberto Contreras | Kelme–Costa Blanca | |
| 16 | Marco Serpellini | Brescialat–Oyster | |
| 17 | Paolo Lanfranchi | Mapei–GB | |
| 18 | Juan Carlos Domínguez Domínguez | Kelme–Costa Blanca | |
| 19 | Laurent Brochard | Festina–Lotus | |
| 20 | Rodolfo Massi | Festina–Lotus | |
| 21 | José María Jiménez | Banesto | |
| 22 | Melcior Mauri | ONCE | |
| 23 | Francisque Teyssier | GAN | |
| 24 | Sergei Ivanov | TVM–Farm Frites | |
| 25 | Fabian Jeker | Festina–Lotus | |