# 2008 Vuelta a Venezuela

The 45th edition of the annual Vuelta a Venezuela was held from August 25 to September 7, 2008. The stage race started in Maracaibo, and ended in Caracas.

## Stages
### 2008-08-25: Maracaibo — Maracaibo (80 km)

| Place | Stage 1 | Stage 1 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Artur García (VEN) | 01:45.59 | Artur García (VEN) | 01:44.59 |
| 2. | Manuel Belletti (ITA) | — | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | +0.03 |
| 3. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | — | Manuel Belletti (ITA) | +0.04 |

### 2008-08-26: Cabimas — Valera (188.6 km)

| Place | Stage 2 | Stage 2 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | 04:35.00 | Artur García (VEN) | 06:19.53 |
| 2. | Artur García (VEN) | — | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | +0.06 |
| 3. | Manuel Medina (VEN) | — | Manuel Belletti (ITA) | +0.10 |

### 2008-08-27: Caja Seca — Mérida (183.2 km)

| Place | Stage 3 | Stage 3 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Rolando Trujillo (VEN) | 04:38.34 | Rolando Trujillo (VEN) | 10:58.33 |
| 2. | Richard Ochoa (VEN) | +0.01 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.07 |
| 3. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.11 |

### 2008-08-28: Mucuchies — Guanare (172.6 km)

| Place | Stage 4 | Stage 4 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | 04:27.50 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | 15:26.15 |
| 2. | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.17 |
| 3. | Yonathan Monsalve (VEN) | — | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | +0.48 |

### 2008-08-29: Ospino — Nirgua San Vicente (217.6 km)

| Place | Stage 5 | Stage 5 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 05:16.42 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | 20:43.49 |
| 2. | Carlos Becerra (VEN) | +0.09 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | +0.02 |
| 3. | Manuel Medina (VEN) | +0.20 | Manuel Medina (VEN) | +0.24 |

### 2008-08-30: Valencia — Valencia (80 km)

| Place | Stage 6 | Stage 6 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | 01:55.11 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | 22:39.00 |
| 2. | Manuel Belletti (ITA) | — | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | +0.02 |
| 3. | Frederick Segura (VEN) | — | Manuel Medina (VEN) | +0.24 |

### 2008-08-31: Puerto Cabello — San Juan de los Morros (139.6 km)

| Place | Stage 7 | Stage 7 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Richard Ochoa (VEN) | 03:47.54 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | 26:26.50 |
| 2. | Honorio Machado (VEN) | — | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | +0.06 |
| 3. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | — | Manuel Medina (VEN) | +0.28 |

### 2008-09-01: Ortiz — Valle de la Pascua (161.4 km)

| Place | Stage 8 | Stage 8 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | 03:51.18 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | 30:18.08 |
| 2. | José Águilar (VEN) | — | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | +0.06 |
| 3. | Honorio Machado (VEN) | — | Manuel Medina (VEN) | +0.28 |

### 2008-09-02: Las Mercedes del Llano — Chaguaramas (40 km)

| Place | Stage 9 (Individual Time Trial) | Stage 9 (Individual Time Trial) | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | José Serpa (COL) | 00:37.24 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 30:57.08 |
| 2. | José Chacón Díaz (VEN) | +0.29 | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.17 |
| 3. | Carlos Galvis (VEN) | +0.49 | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.32 |

### 2008-09-03: Valle de la Pascua — Pariaguan (159.1 km)

| Place | Stage 10 | Stage 10 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Jesús Pérez (VEN) | 04:04.48 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 35:01.56 |
| 2. | Anthony Brea (VEN) | — | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.14 |
| 3. | Víctor Moreno (VEN) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.32 |

### 2008-09-04: Cantaura — Cantaura (80 km)

| Place | Stage 11 | Stage 11 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Honorio Machado (VEN) | 01:58.28 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 37:00.24 |
| 2. | Anthony Brea (VEN) | — | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.11 |
| 3. | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.31 |

### 2008-09-05: Cantaura — Barcelona (147.3 km)

| Place | Stage 12 | Stage 12 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Frederick Segura (VEN) | 03:14.28 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 40:14.52 |
| 2. | Honorio Machado (VEN) | — | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.07 |
| 3. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.32 |

### 2008-09-06: Piritu — Higuerote (231.8 km)

| Place | Stage 13 | Stage 13 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | 04:24.00 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 44:38.52 |
| 2. | Frederick Segura (VEN) | — | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.03 |
| 3. | Tomás Gil (VEN) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.23 |

### 2008-09-07: Caracas — Caracas (80 km)

| Place | Stage 14 | Stage 14 | General Classification | General Classification |
| Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
| 1. | Honorio Machado (VEN) | 01:45.54 | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | 46:24.46 |
| 2. | Manuel Belletti (ITA) | — | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | +0.03 |
| 3. | José Serpa (COL) | — | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | +0.23 |

## Final standings
### General Classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | TIME |
| 1. | Carlos José Ochoa (VEN) | Diguigiovanni Androni | 46:24:46 |
| 2. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | Gobernacíon del Zulía | + 0.03 |
| 3. | Freddy Vargas (VEN) | Loteria del Táchira | + 0.23 |
| 4. | José Alarcón (VEN) | Sumiglov-City of Mérida | + 1.00 |
| 5. | José Chacón Díaz (VEN) | Loteria del Táchira | + 1.07 |
| 6. | Manuel Medina (VEN) | Gobernacíon del Zulía | + 1.50 |
| 7. | Eduin Becerra (VEN) | Sumiglov-City of Mérida | + 1.57 |
| 8. | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | Diguigiovanni Androni | + 2.08 |
| 9. | Juan Murillo (VEN) | Loteria del Táchira | + 2.31 |
| 10. | Yonathan Monsalve (VEN) | Hussein Sport Gobierno | + 3.53 |

### Points Classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | Gobernacíon del Zulía | 165 |
| 2. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | Alcaldia de Cabimas | 156 |
| 3. | Jackson Rodríguez (VEN) | Diguigiovanni Androni | 151 |

### Mountains Classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1. | Manuel Medina (VEN) | Gobernacíon del Zulía | 15 |
| 2. | Richard Ochoa (VEN) | Diguigiovanni Androni | 13 |
| 3. | Rolando Trujillo (COL) | Trecolli Bono del Ciclismo Colombia | 11 |

### Sprints Classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | Alcaldia de Cabimas | 33 |
| 2. | Wilmen Bravo (VEN) | Alcaldia Bolivariana de Paez Apure | 27 |
| 3. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | Gobernacíon del Zulía | 20 |

### Stage Points Classification

| RANK | NAME | TEAM | POINTS |
| 1. | Honorio Machado (COL) | Gobernacíon de Lara Alcaldia de Jimenez | 78 |
| 2. | Franklin Chacón (VEN) | Gobernacíon del Zulía | 75 |
| 3. | Gil Cordovés (CUB) | Alcaldia de Cabimas | 68 |