September 22, 2002 – Roberto Heras has won stage fifteen of the Vuelta. The Spanish US Postal rider was in a league of his own on the final climb to the Alto de L'Angliru, on his way to his second stage win this year, and the sixth of his career. Heras has now taken over the lead in the general classification from Oscar Sevilla who finished nearly three minutes behind.

However Heras is still all but certain of his second overall win in the Vuelta as Aitor Gonzalez is in second place with a deficit of 35 seconds. Oscar Sevilla has dropped from first to third but he is also still a force to reckon with. In stage 10, an individual time trial of 36.5 km, Gonzalez gained 1.34 on Heras. Therefore the Vuelta may well be decided on the final day, when the riders have to negotiate yet another time trial, this time over 41.2 km.

Stage 15 : Gijón – Angliru, 176.7 km
1. Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 5.01.02 (35.2km/h)
2. Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 1.35
3. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.41
4. Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 1.54
5. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 2.16
6. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport
7. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport
8. Angel Casero (Spa) Team Coast 2.22
9 .Fabian Jeker (Swi) Milaneza-MSS 2.34
10. Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 2.42


Overall:
1. Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 55.14.08
2. Aitor Gonzalez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 0.35
3. Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.08
4. Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 1.57
5. Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.16
6. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.56
7. Félix Garcia Casas (Spa) Bigmat.Auber 93 4.05
8. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco-Longoni Sport 4.55
9. Manuel Beltran (Spa) Team Coast 5.20
10. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 5.26