Today's Live UpdatesGood morning to our U.S. audience. Welcome to VeloNews.com’s live coverageof the fifth stage of the 2002 Vuelta a España, 198km between El Ejido and Sierra Nevada. Today’s stage includes two climbs of intermediate difficulty – the Category 2 climb of Bérchules at 62km and the Cat. 3 at Lanzarón at kilometer 117 – before the long “Special Category” climb to Sierra Nevada at the finish.That final climb will be the first real opportunity for those hoping to challenge Joseba Beloki for the overall lead in the Vuelta to mount a serious attack.The slopes on the way to Sierra Nevada average just five percent and reacha maximum grade of eight percent. It's not really the grade that will take its toll on this climb. The real challenge is the unrelenting nature of the 37-kilometer climb as it brings the peloton from an altitude of 700meters at kilometer 161 to 2510 meters at the finish at 198km.

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3:35 p.m. -- The situation on the road rightnow is that we have a group of seven riders -- Jesus Maria Manzano (Kelme-CostaBlanca), Jose Garcia Acosta (iBanesto.com); Médéric Clain (Cofidis)OscarLaguna Garcia(Relax-Fuenlabrada)and Victor Hugo Pena (U.S. Postal) among them -- at the 133 km mark. They have an advantage of 5:14.3:43 p.m. -- Just a note about the composition of the field today.There are two notable absences as we approach the first major climb of theVuelta. Giro d'Italia winner Paolo Salvoldelli and his teammate Ivan Quaranta are no longer competing. It was clear that the Giro winner didn't have his heart into this race from the start and Quaranta has had difficulty all season.3:49 p.m. -- The seven leaders are at the 146km mark, with 53km remaining.They have a lead of 4:48. Unrepresented in the break, the Saeco team of Gilberto Simoni is driving the pace at the front of the peloton.3:57 p.m. -- There has been a crash in the field. It appears that Roberto Laiseka, Euskaltel's ace climber broke a fork and crashed. He hit his head and is being transported to the hospital. He was conscious, but bloodied.3:59 p.m. -- The gap between the seven leaders and the field is down to 4:00. The leaders are now at km 154.4:07 p.m. -- The seven leaders -- Jesus Maria Manzano (Kelme-Costa Blanca), Jose Garcia Acosta (iBanesto.com); Médéric Clain (Cofidis); Oscar Laguna Garcia (Relax-Fuenlabrada); Rafael Diaz Justo (ONCE); Stéphane Berges (Ag2R) and Victor Hugo Pena (U.S. Postal) -- are at 158km. They have a lead of 3:40. The climb begins in 5km and lasts for 37 kilometers.4:16 p.m. -- The leaders are on the lower slopes of the climb to SierraNevada. Jesus Maria Manzano (Kelme-Costa Blanca) and Victor Hugo Pena (U.S.Postal) have moved off the front of the lead group.4:22 p.m. -- Jesus Maria Manzano and Pena have been caught. Jose Garcia Acosta and Oscar Laguna Garcia have taken over the lead. The lead group is completely split apart.4:25 p.m. -- Laguna is now off on his own. He is 2:22 ahead of themain field and his former breakaway companions are spread out in between.
4:31 p.m. -- Laguna has been caught and passed by Jesus Maria Manzano,Behind them, Stéphane Berges and Victor Hugo Pena have been caughtby the peloton.4:36 p.m. -- Reports from the hospital are good regarding the conditionof Roberto Laiseka. Doctors say he has superficial cuts and has no seriousinjuries.4:37 p.m. -- The attacks have been frequent in these opening kilometersof this climb, but things have settled back down in the field... which isnow made up of about 48 riders. Notably absent are Santiago Botero (Kelme)and Postal's Rubiera. Roberto Heras, Joseba Beloki and Oscar Sevilla arein that group. Manzano remains off the front, but the margin is shrinking.He is about a minute ahead of the main group.

VeloNews's Andrew Hood spoke with Roberto Heras before the start today.Heras said he was looking forward to the stage.

"Sierra Nevada is not very steep, so theoretically the time differences shouldn'tbe so great. I feel good, but as well as in 2000, I still have to show that.La Pandera (Thursday's stage) is where you can make the differences."

Race leader Joseba Beloki said he's never climbed Sierra Nevada, but added,"it doesn't matter."

Kelme's Oscar Sevilla says the climb will reveal who the top favorites arefor final victory.4:48 p.m. -- Three riders -- Luis Perez Rodriguez (Coast); Juan CarlosDominguez and Alberto Lopez De Munain (Euskaltel) -- are within 40seconds of Manzano.

4:51 p.m. -- Manzano is still up front. Behind him, Dominguez hasbeen dropped and caught by the peloton. Further back, Botero caught the maingroup and was again dropped.

4:55 p.m. -- Manzano has been caught by Coast's Perez and LopezDe Munain. The attacks are coming off the front of the main field. Rightnow, Santiago Blanco (iBanesto) and Jan Horrach (MSS) are moving off thefront of the group.

5:02 p.m. -- The two men in front -- Perez and Lopez De Munain-- are 30 seconds ahead of the main field. In between a group of 8 chasers,including Blanco. The main field is being lead by Christian Vande Velde,who is setting pace for Heras.

5:07 p.m. -- With 10km to go the two men up front are still afew seconds ahead of the chase group which has now grown to 13.

Lopez De Munain sees that the group coming up and is moving off on his ownas Perez is reeled in.

5:14 p.m. -- Lopez De Munain has been caught. There are 8km to go.The lead group -- including ONCE's  Mikel Zarrabeitia, who is the newleader on the road -- is about 30 seconds ahead of the main group of about35 riders. Vande Velde continues to set pace at the front of the main group.

5:21 p.m. -- With 6km remaining, two riders -- Cofidis's Guido Trentinand Felix Garcia (BigMat) have moved off the front and are working theirway into the steepest portion of the climb. At 6km, the two are now 1:38ahead of the main field and are putting time on the group in the middle.

5:27 p.m. -- With 3km to go, the two leaders are now 1:25 ahead ofthe chase group which has been joined by a hard-charging Oscar Sevilla. Someof that chase group -- including Zarrabeitia -- are ahead, but Sevilla ischasing hard. The remnants of the main field are another 20 seconds back.Trentin looks like he will be the new leader of the Vuelta.

5:30 p.m. -- The two leaders are 1.5km from the finish. Sevilla hasleft the chase group. He has ONCE's Jorg Jakshe with him, but of course,the ONCE man is just there for the ride, because team leader Joseba Belokiis back in the main group and losing time.

5:32 p.m. -- The two leaders are at the 1km to go mark. A trio ofriders behind includes Zarrabeitia. Sevilla is still chasing hard, whilethe main group is simply riding a steady pace to the finish.

5:34 p.m. -- Danilo Di Luca has jumped off the front of the main group. Beloki is charging too.

Ahead, Trentin wns the stage. ONCE's  Mikel Zarrabeitia takes third...and he may be close enough to take the overall lead.