| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dates | 21 April – 10 May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 3,446 km (2,141 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 98h 04' 49" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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← 1980 1982 → | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 36th EditionVuelta a España (Tour of Spain), a long-distancebicyclestage race and one of the threegrand tours, was held from 21 April to 10 May 1981. It consisted of 19 stages covering a total of 3,446 km (2,141 mi), and was won byGiovanni Battaglin of theInoxprancycling team.
Regis Clere won the prologue of the race and kept the leader's jersey until the mountain time trial where on the very long climb to Sierra Nevada,Giovanni Battaglin won the stage and took over the leader's jersey. The only threat to Battaglin's lead was Pedro Muñoz.[1]The entire Teka team withdrew from the race withdrawing potential favouritesMarino Lejarreta and Alberto Fernández.[2] Battaglin and his Inoxpran team withstood the challenge from the Spanish and brought Battaglin to his first grand tour victory.[3] Three days later after Battaglin's triumph in Spain, he began the1981 Giro d'Italia which he would win becoming the second rider afterEddy Merckx to win the Vuelta-Giro double.
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Giovanni Battaglin (ITA) | Inoxpran | 98h 04' 49" |
| 2 |  Pedro Muñoz Machín Rodríguez (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 2' 09" |
| 3 | Vicente Belda (ESP) | Kelme–Gios | + 2' 29" |
| 4 |  Jørgen Marcussen (DEN) | Inoxpran | + 3' 33" |
| 5 | Antonio Coll (ESP) | Colchon C.R. | + 4' 26" |
| 6 | Ángel Arroyo (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 4' 30" |
| 7 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Reynolds–Galli | + 6' 05" |
| 8 | Faustino Rupérez (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 7' 09" |
| 9 |  Régis Clère (FRA) | Miko–Mercier | + 7' 23" |
| 10 | Miguel María Lasa (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 10' 54" |
| Final general classification (11–25) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Eduardo Chozas (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 12' 48" |
| 12 | Luciano Loro (ITA) | Inoxpran | + 13' 49" |
| 13 | José Antonio Cabrero (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 16' 17" |
| 14 | Alfonso Dal Pian (ITA) | Inoxpran | + 17' 17" |
| 15 |  Peter Zijerveld (NED) | HB Alarmsystemen | + 19' 55" |
| 16 | Angel De Las Heras (ESP) | Hueso-Manzaneque | + 22' 32" |
| 17 | Enrique Martínez Heredia (ESP) | Colchon C.R. | + 26' 16" |
| 18 | Juan Pujol Pages (ESP) | Colchon C.R. | + 27' 36" |
| 19 | Francisco Javier Cedena (ESP) | Colchon C.R. | + 29' 46" |
| 20 | Guillermo De La Pena (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 30' 36" |
| 21 | Frédéric Vichot (FRA) | Miko–Mercier | + 31' 54" |
| 22 | Álvaro Pino (ESP) | Colchon C.R. | + 33' 24" |
| 23 | José Luis López Cerrón [fr] (ESP) | Zor–Helios | + 36' 30" |
| 24 | Amilcare Sgalbazzi (ITA) | Inoxpran | + 37' 49" |
| 25 | Anastasio Greciano (ESP) | Reynolds–Galli | + 44' 44" |
| Rank | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zor Helios | 294h 09' 15" |
| 2 | Inoxpran | + 17' 14" |
| 3 | Colchon CR | + 43' 04" |
| 4 | Kelme | + 1h 05' 01" |
| 5 | Miko Mercier | + 1h 19' 31" |
| 6 | Reynolds | + 1h 48' 41" |
| 7 | H.B. | + 2h 06' 31" |
| 8 | Manzaneque | + 2h 30' 41" |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Francisco Javier Cedena (ESP) | Colchon | 211 |
| 2 | Jesús Suárez Cueva (ESP) | Kelme | 137 |
| 3 | Miguel María Lasa (ESP) | Zor | 134 |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | José Luis Laguía (ESP) | Reynolds | 144 |
| 2 | Vicente Belda (ESP) | Kelme | 98 |
| 3 | José Luis López Cerrón [fr] (ESP) | Zor | 69 |
| 4 | Giovanni Battaglin (ITA) | Inoxpran | 60 |
| 5 | Pedro Muñoz Machín Rodríguez (ESP) | Zor | 57 |
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hugues Grondin (FRA) | Manzaneque | 21 |
| 2 | Miguel Acha (ESP) | Reynolds | 12 |
| 3 | Jesús Suárez Cueva (ESP) | Kelme | 10 |
| By year men |
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| By year women | |||||||||||||
| Classifications ("jerseys") |
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| Lists and topics | |||||||||||||
| Related articles | |||||||||||||
