September 25, 2002 – Finally, Erik Zabel seemed to have clinched his first stage win in the Vuelta a Espana, until Angelo Furlan passed the German sprint ace to post the first big victory of his career. For Zabel it was already the fourth time this Vuelta he finished as a runner-up and the fifth time
he ended up on the podium without receiving flowers for the victory. Alessandro Petacchi finished third. Roberto Heras held on to the overall lead.

For Angelo Furlan it was the best sporting day of his life. Until today, Furlan had won two stages in the Tour of Serbia and one in the Tour of Poland, all in 2001. During this Vuelta, Furlan had already earned four Top-6 spots of which two third places.

For Erik Zabel it was the 25th occasion this season that he finished second or third. The man who not so long ago was seen as one of the best sprinters on the circuit seems to have lost his edge a little bit. Normally Mario Cipollini has always been regarded the fastest cyclist of the world, but Zabel has always been able to compete with Cipo, especially in one day races and late in the big Tours. Nowadays, Zabel seems to lose races to young guns in the peloton. In Spain he is still awaiting his first
stage victory but looks set to win the overall points race. However, Alessandro Petacchi is also still keen on this prize. Zabel will have to look out for the Italian, because Robbie McEwen showed last summer at the Tour de France that even winning the points rankings of the big tours is not a certainty for Zabel anymore.

Stage 17 : Benavente – Salamanca, 145.6 km
1. Angelo Furlan (Ita) Alessio 2.58.00 (49.078 km/h)
2. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom
3. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
4. Sven Teutenberg (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems
5. Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco-Longoni Sport
6. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi
7. Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport-Emmegi
8. Denis Zanette (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
9. Angel Edo (Spa) Milaneza-MSS
10. Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre-Daikin

Overall:
1. Roberto Heras (Spa) US Postal Service 61.53.13
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. FÈlix 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