# 1998 Vuelta a Colombia

The 48th edition of the Vuelta a Colombia was held from April 25 to May 10, 1998. Only 68 cyclists (out of 93) completed the race.

## Stages
### 1998-04-25: Villavicencio — Villavicencio (5.8 km)

| Place | Prologue | Prologue | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | 00:06.52 | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | 00:06.52 |

### 1998-04-26: Circuito del Llano (172 km)

| Place | Stage 1 | Stage 1 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 05:38.07 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 05:37.57 |
| 2. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +4.31 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +4.37 |
| 3. | Javier Zapata (COL) | — | Fredy González (COL) | +4.38 |

### 1998-04-27: Villavicencio — Cáqueza (147 km)

| Place | Stage 2 | Stage 2 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Josef Lontscharitsch (AUT) | 03:58.26 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 09:37.14 |
| 2. | Ariel Martínez (COL) | — | Josef Lontscharitsch (AUT) | +3.37 |
| 3. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +0.29 | Ariel Martínez (COL) | +3.42 |

### 1998-04-28: Funza — Girardot (131 km)

| Place | Stage 3 | Stage 3 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Fredy González (COL) | 02:35.54 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 12:13.08 |
| 2. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | — | Josef Lontscharitsch (AUT) | +3.36 |
| 3. | Javier Zapata (COL) | — | Ariel Martínez (COL) | +3.43 |

### 1998-04-29: Girardot — Neiva (172 km)

| Place | Stage 4 | Stage 4 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Eduardo Hernández (ESP) | 04:17.12 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 16:30.37 |
| 2. | Rafael Brand (COL) | — | Josef Lontscharitsch (AUT) | +3.35 |
| 3. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +0.29 | Ariel Martínez (COL) | +3.43 |

### 1998-04-30: Neiva — Ibagué (208 km)

| Place | Stage 5 | Stage 5 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Javier Pascual (ESP) | 04:10.26 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 21:45.02 |
| 2. | Félix Cárdenas (COL) | — | Javier Pascual (ESP) | +0.14 |
| 3. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +3.59 | Josef Lontscharitsch (AUT) | +3.35 |

### 1998-05-01: Circuito del Café — Calle (144 km)

| Place | Stage 6 | Stage 6 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | 03:07.07 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 24:52.14 |
| 2. | Jairo Hernández (COL) | +0.03 | Javier Pascual (ESP) | +1.17 |
| 3. | Gregorio Ladino (COL) | — | Ariel Martínez (COL) | +3.43 |

### 1998-05-02: Santa Rosa de Cabal — Alto de Santa Helena (229 km)

| Place | Stage 7 | Stage 7 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 05:38.07 | Jairo Pérez (COL) | 30:20.21 |
| 2. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +4.31 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +4.37 |
| 3. | Javier Zapata (COL) | — | Fredy González (COL) | +4.38 |

### 1998-05-03: Medellín — Manizales (195 km)

| Place | Stage 8 | Stage 8 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | 06:25.05 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 37:27.00 |
| 2. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +0.32 | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +1.41 |
| 3. | Iván Parra (COL) | +0.35 | Iván Parra (COL) | +1.57 |

### 1998-05-04: Manizales — Dorada (177 km)

| Place | Stage 9 | Stage 9 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Víctor Becerra (COL) | 04:44.04 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 42:11.09 |
| 2. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | +0.05 | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +1.41 |
| 3. | Carlos Contreras (COL) | — | Iván Parra (COL) | +1.57 |

### 1998-05-05: Puerto Boyacá — Barrancabermeja (202 km)

| Place | Stage 10 | Stage 10 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 05:48.54 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 48:00.03 |
| 2. | Ruber Marín (COL) | — | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +1.41 |
| 3. | Josef Lontscharitsch (AUT) | — | Iván Parra (COL) | +1.57 |

### 1998-05-06: Barrancabermeja — Bucaramanga (124 km)

| Place | Stage 11 | Stage 11 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | 03:08.43 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 51:08.37 |
| 2. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | +4.50 | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +6.49 |
| 3. | Alexis Rojas (COL) | +4.52 | Iván Parra (COL) | +7.06 |

### 1998-05-07: Bucaramanga — Barichara (148.7 km)

| Place | Stage 12 | Stage 12 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | 03:56.20 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 54:49.40 |
| 2. | Israel Ochoa (COL) | — | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +6.49 |
| 3. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +6.58 |

### 1998-05-08: Barbosa — Duitama (138.9 km)

| Place | Stage 13 | Stage 13 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Jairo Hernández (COL) | 03:43.34 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 58:33.14 |
| 2. | Libardo Niño (COL) | — | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +6.49 |
| 3. | Alexis Rojas (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +7.03 |

### 1998-05-09: Paipa — Tunja (43.5 km)

| Place | Stage 14 (Individual Time Trial) | Stage 14 (Individual Time Trial) | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | 01:01.40 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 59:34.54 |
| 2. | Dubán Ramírez (COL) | +0.44 | Iván Parra (COL) | +8.13 |
| 3. | Iván Parra (COL) | +0.57 | Libardo Niño (COL) | +10.25 |

### 1998-05-10: Circuito en Bogotá (104 km)

| Place | Stage 15 | Stage 15 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Fredy González (COL) | 02:08.20 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 61:43.42 |
| 2. | Libardo Niño (COL) | — | Iván Parra (COL) | +8.13 |
| 3. | Javier Anaya (COL) | — | Libardo Niño (COL) | +10.21 |

## Final classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | TIME |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | Telecom-Kelme | 61:43:14 |
| 2. | Iván Parra (COL) | Petróleo de Colombia | + 8.13 |
| 3. | Libardo Niño (COL) | Aguardiente Néctar | + 10.21 |
| 4. | Israel Ochoa (COL) | Lotería de Boyacá | + 10.44 |
| 5. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | Lotería de Medellín-EPM | + 11.06 |
| 6. | Miguel Ángel Sanabria (COL) | Lotería de Boyacá | + 11.34 |
| 7. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | Aguardiente Antioqueño | + 11.39 |
| 8. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | Telecom-Kelme | + 12.40 |
| 9. | Argiro Zapata (COL) | Lotería de Medellín-EPM | + 12.50 |
| 10. | Alexis Rojas (COL) | Petróleo de Colombia | + 12.52 |