# 1997 Vuelta a Colombia

The 47th edition of the Vuelta a Colombia was held from April 21 to May 4, 1997. There were a total of 119 competitors, including six Mexican riders.

## Stages
### 1997-04-21: Bucaramanga — Bucaramanga (7.6 km)

| Place | Prologue | Prologue | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | 00:14.28 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 00:14.28 |
| 2. | Federico Muñoz (COL) | +0.14 | Federico Muñoz (COL) | +0.14 |
| 3. | Elder Herrera (COL) | +0.23 | Elder Herrera (COL) | +0.23 |

### 1997-04-22: Bucaramanga — Barichara (148.7 km)

| Place | Stage 1 | Stage 1 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | 03:49.18 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 04:03.50 |
| 2. | Ángel Camargo (COL) | — | Federico Muñoz (COL) | +0.06 |
| 3. | Federico Muñoz (COL) | — | Elder Herrera (COL) | +0.23 |

### 1997-04-23: Oiba — Duitama (192.7 km)

| Place | Stage 2 | Stage 2 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Israel Ochoa (COL) | 05:00.30 | Santiago Botero (COL) | 09:04.55 |
| 2. | Santiago Botero (COL) | +0.01 | José Castelblanco (COL) | +0.13 |
| 3. | Elder Herrera (COL) | +0.38 | Federico Muñoz (COL) | +0.19 |

### 1997-04-24: Tunja — Zipaquirá (138.3 km)

| Place | Stage 3 | Stage 3 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Hernán Buenahora (COL) | 03:05.12 | Hernán Buenahora (COL) | 12:10.37 |
| 2. | Carlos Contreras (COL) | +1.24 | Santiago Botero (COL) | +0.57 |
| 3. | Elkin Barrera (COL) | — | José Castelblanco (COL) | +1.10 |

### 1997-04-25: Funza — Ibagué (196.2 km)

| Place | Stage 4 | Stage 4 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | 04:53.19 | Hernán Buenahora (COL) | 17:04.01 |
| 2. | Libardo Niño (COL) | — | Santiago Botero (COL) | +0.57 |
| 3. | Julio César Aguirre (COL) | — | José Castelblanco (COL) | +1.10 |

### 1997-04-26: Ibagué — Sevilla (185.9 km)

| Place | Stage 5 | Stage 5 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Elkin Barrera (COL) | 05:15.15 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 22:20.14 |
| 2. | Jair Bernal (COL) | — | Jair Bernal (COL) | +0.22 |
| 3. | José Castelblanco (COL) | +0.02 | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +2.24 |

### 1997-04-27: Cali Circuito Panamericano (105 km)

| Place | Stage 6 | Stage 6 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Julio Ernesto Bernal (COL) | 02:18.30 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 24:39.03 |
| 2. | Humberto Hernández (COL) | — | Jair Bernal (COL) | +0.22 |
| 3. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +0.09 | Elkin Barrera (COL) | +1.25 |

### 1997-04-28: Palmira — Pereira (200.4 km)

| Place | Stage 7 | Stage 7 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Freddy Moncada (COL) | 04:45.12 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 29:24.30 |
| 2. | Jair Bernal (COL) | — | Jair Bernal (COL) | +0.22 |
| 3. | Francisco Orozco (COL) | +0.02 | Elkin Barrera (COL) | +1.25 |

### 1997-04-29: Santa Rosa de Cabal — Manizales (35.7 km)

| Place | Stage 8 (Individual Time Trial) | Stage 8 (Individual Time Trial) | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | 00:59.20 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 30:23.47 |
| 2. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.28 | Jair Bernal (COL) | +2.01 |
| 3. | Carlos Contreras (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +3.05 |

### 1997-04-30: Manizales — Itagüí (184 km)

| Place | Stage 9 | Stage 9 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Hernán Darío Muñoz (COL) | 04:45.32 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 35:09.27 |
| 2. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.08 | Jair Bernal (COL) | +1.59 |
| 3. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +2.59 |

### 1997-05-01: Medellín — Alto Santa Helena (91.2 km)

| Place | Stage 10 | Stage 10 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Julio César Rangel (COL) | 02:32.17 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 37:42.49 |
| 2. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | +0.53 | Jair Bernal (COL) | +1.59 |
| 3. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +1.03 | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +2.52 |

### 1997-05-02: Rionegro — Puerto Salgar (197 km)

| Place | Stage 11 | Stage 11 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Daniel Bernal (COL) | 05:02.04 | José Castelblanco (COL) | ??????? |
| 2. | Misael Orozco (COL) | — | Jair Bernal (COL) | +1.59 |
| 3. | Celio Roncancio (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +2.52 |

### 1997-05-03: La Dorada — Fontibón (179.5 km)

| Place | Stage 12 | Stage 12 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Gregorio Ladino (COL) | 05:23.53 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 48:11.18 |
| 2. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +0.04 | Jair Bernal (COL) | +1.59 |
| 3. | Libardo Niño (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +2.52 |

### 1997-05-04: Circuito Bogotá (100 km)

| Place | Stage 13 | Stage 13 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Leonardo Cardona (COL) | 03:03.15 | José Castelblanco (COL) | 50:14:34 |
| 2. | Víctor Hugo Peña (COL) | +0.01 | Jair Bernal (COL) | + 1.59 |
| 3. | Federico Muñoz (COL) | +0.01 | Héctor Palacio (COL) | + 2.52 |

## Jersey progression

| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Mountains classification | Team classification |
| P | José Castelblanco | José Castelblanco | — | — | — |
| 1 | Héctor Palacio | José Castelblanco | Héctor Palacio | Julio César Rangel | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 2 | Israel Ochoa | Santiago Botero | Federico Muñoz | Raúl Montaña | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 3 | Hernán Buenahora | Hernán Buenahora | Federico Muñoz | Raúl Montaña | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 4 | Juan Diego Ramírez | Hernán Buenahora | Federico Muñoz | Raúl Montaña | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 5 | Elkin Barrera | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 6 | Julio Ernesto Bernal | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 7 | Freddy Moncada | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 8 | José Castelblanco | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 9 | Hernán Darío Muñoz | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 10 | Julio César Rangel | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 11 | José Daniel Bernal | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 12 | Gregorio Ladino | José Castelblanco | unknown | unknown | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |
| 13 | Leonardo Cardona | José Castelblanco | Héctor Palacio | Juan Diego Ramírez | Telecom-Capitel-Kelme |

## Final classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | TIME |
| 1. | José Castelblanco (COL) | Kelme-Telecom | 50:14:34 |
| 2. | Jair Bernal (COL) | Todos por Boyacá | + 1.59 |
| 3. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | Kelme-Telecom | + 2.52 |
| 4. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | Kelme-Telecom | + 3.03 |
| 5. | Carlos Alberto Contreras (COL) | Kelme-Telecom | + 3.17 |
| 6. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | Caprecom-Zapatos | + 5.16 |
| 7. | Álvaro Sierra (COL) | Todos por Boyacá | + 5.23 |
| 8. | Julio César Aguirre (COL) | Kelme-Telecom | + 5.35 |
| 9. | Libardo Niño (COL) | Lotería de Medellín-EPM | + 8.11 |
| 10. | Álvaro Lozano (COL) | San Andresitos de la 38 | + 8.21 |