title: 1997 Clásico RCN
text: # 1997 Clásico RCN
  
  The 37th edition of the annual Clásico RCN was held from March 15 to March 24, 1997, in Colombia. The stage race had an UCI rate of 2.4. RCN stands for "Radio Cadena Nacional". There were a total number of 90 competitors from 12 teams, with 71 riders actually finishing the stage race.
  
  ## Stages
  
  ### 1997-03-15: Tocancipá — Villa de Leyva (149 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 1 | Stage 1 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Javier Zapata (COL) | ???????? | Raúl Montaña (COL) | ???????? |
  | 2. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | — | Israel Ochoa (COL) | — |
  | 3. | Israel Ochoa (COL) | — | | |
  
  ### 1997-03-16: Villa de Leyva — Monguí (128 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 2 | Stage 2 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 03:06.40 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 06:40.05 |
  | 2. | Israel Ochoa (COL) | — | Libardo Niño (COL) | +0.07 |
  | 3. | Libardo Niño (COL) | +0.05 | Israel Ochoa (COL) | +0.14 |
  
  ### 1997-03-17: Duitama — Barbosa (121 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 3 | Stage 3 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Víctor Becerra (COL) | 02:40.26 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 09:20.35 |
  | 2. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.07 | Libardo Niño (COL) | +0.11 |
  | 3. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | +0.08 | Israel Ochoa (COL) | +0.18 |
  
  ### 1997-03-18: Barbosa — Piedecuesta (203 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 4 | Stage 4 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | 05:14.27 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 14:34.58 |
  | 2. | Javier Zapata (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.15 |
  | 3. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | — | Javier Zapata (COL) | +0.23 |
  
  ### 1997-03-19: Bucaramanga — Barrancabermeja (161 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 5 | Stage 5 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 03:45.30 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 18:19.18 |
  | 2. | Javier Zapata (COL) | — | Javier Zapata (COL) | +0.27 |
  | 3. | Miguel Ángel Niño (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.35 |
  
  ### 1997-03-20: Barrancabermeja — Puerto Boyacá (230 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 6 | Stage 6 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Olaf Pollack (GER) | 05:18.51 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 23:39.09 |
  | 2. | César Goyeneche (COL) | — | Javier Zapata (COL) | +0.27 |
  | 3. | Miguel Ángel Niño (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.35 |
  
  ### 1997-03-21: Doradal — Guatapé (175 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 7 | Stage 7 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Libardo Niño (COL) | 04:34.08 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 28:13.15 |
  | 2. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | — | Javier Zapata (COL) | +0.29 |
  | 3. | Argiro Zapata (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.31 |
  
  ### 1997-03-22: Rionegro — Puerto Salgar (180 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 8 | Stage 8 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Jairo Hernández (COL) | 04:39.59 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 32:54.57 |
  | 2. | José Daniel Bernal (COL) | +0.01 | Javier Zapata (COL) | +0.29 |
  | 3. | Humberto Hernández (COL) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.31 |
  
  ### 1997-03-23: Circuito Parque Simón Bolivar, Bogotá (100 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 9 | Stage 9 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | César Goyeneche (COL) | 02:17.01 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 35:11.58 |
  | 2. | Steffen Blochwitz (GER) | — | Javier Zapata (COL) | +0.31 |
  | 3. | Pedro Pablo Pérez (CUB) | — | Héctor Palacio (COL) | +0.33 |
  
  ### 1997-03-23: Bogotá — Bogotá (35 km)
  
  | Place | Stage 10 | Stage 10 | General Classification | General Classification |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Place | Name | Time | Name | Time |
  | 1. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 00:51.06 | Raúl Montaña (COL) | 36:03.04 |
  
  ## Final classification
  
  | RANK | NAME | TEAM | TIME |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1. | Raúl Montaña (COL) | Caprecom-Zapatos | 36:03:04 |
  | 2. | Javier Zapata (COL) | Lotería de Medellín | + 0.31 |
  | 3. | Héctor Palacio (COL) | Telecom-Internet-Kelme | + 0.33 |
  | 4. | Miguel Ángel Sanabria (COL) | Todos por Boyacá | + 0.58 |
  | 5. | Juan Diego Ramírez (COL) | Telecom-Internet-Kelme | + 1.02 |
  | 6. | Carlos Contreras (COL) | Telecom-Internet-Kelme | + 1.03 |
  | 7. | Álvaro Sierra (COL) | Todos por Boyacá | + 1.06 |
  | 8. | Jair Bernal (COL) | Todos por Boyacá | + 1.19 |
  | 9. | Libardo Niño (COL) | Gaseosas Glacial-Selle Italia | + 1.22 |
  | 10. | Celio Roncancio (COL) | Bono del Ciclism | + 1.24 |
  