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Perico Delgado

Perico Delgado is, without doubt, the English rider perfect, the quintessential popular cyclist, the man who so many evenings kept millions of television viewers pending in those hot July afternoons, and in those cool days of April and May. A man who so eagerly won the hearts of fans of his country, which revived a career that seemed doomed to the victories of "completing honors" sprinters and eager for good general classifications and domains clasicómanos completing his peak form.

A man who reached the top, and got however, that in its decline, is evidently associated with another great champion emerged. This portrait is simply trying to reel off the reasons for this, that Pedro Delgado Robledo, covirtiese is the only English rider unblemished by all. Segoviano

birth, very normal family, those mid-60's progress in which he grew up, Peter started cycling as a hobby, really like something else. Devouring time with their modest bicycle, which was renewed in the nest egg that could sell newspapers succeeded in their first days of youth. He was a young English-language, an ordinary boy who got on her machine when became a threat to their rivals. Probably dreaming of emulating José Manuel Fuente or Luis Ocana, who at that time the copper beating Eddy Merckx, the cannibal, who was almost always sterile quixotic struggle of the English against him.

After the withdrawal of other illustrious Julio Jiménez, one too often neglected today, and Source and Ocaña, began perhaps the most brilliant generation of English cycling history. In various parts of the country was growing at last fill cyclists in full the heart of the English fans with a unanimous leader Pedro Delgado. Born since the mid 50's, José Luis Laguía, Alberto Fernandez, Marino Lejarreta, Alvaro Pino, Angel Arroyo, Pedro Delgado, Peio Eduardo Ruiz Cabestany or huts are the bearers of the golden generation, the "boom" of cycling in Spain , brokers who engaged in much of contemporary youth, and an amateur subsequently divided.

Perico, as we all called him was a runner who has not yet been done. The Tour had come to stand and was yellow in the Tour, but lacked substance. Several drops also prevented him from shining. But just the opposite was which will lead to success. His progress was a distance race, with its quality as a basis. Was improving, he was polishing details that made him stronger, and won a stage Luz Ardiden apotheosis, holding Colombian climbers in the fog. This corridor, which had just won the Tour of Spain after one of the strangest final, mysterious, dramatic and, according to some voices, collusion of the story, I was almost ready to leap, to try as much as that in Spain was , is and will meaning Tour de France.

A spectacular corridor, which did not give up playing his cards, and committed over forgetfulness that made him much more popular, we all remember his image with an umbrella to protect yourself from rain, or talking on one of the few mobile phones with nosesabequién time in the middle of the stage. This way of making the public, all was unique, and that's what you missed the coldness of Miguel Indurain, for example. Perico fell well off the road and the road was a spectacle, as the shorts down almost touching the rear tubular. Many called him "insane" for that. And his halo became legendary in Luxembourg. Nobody knows what would have happened if not lost in the streets of the Grand Duchy. But his popularity has transcended cycling. This red herring is a popular legend in English sport. Possibly

was not a talented runner Indurain, or by Luis Ocana, or not up to the capacity of Bahamontes, but surely, Pedro Delgado, " Perico" for the fans, was the runner of all.

Before appearing on stage the "ogre" of 90 Indurain,
the king of cycling in Spain was, no doubt,
Pedro Delgado. With him and others of his generation,
English cycling away from this position in the shadow
occupied in the international squad to travel abroad to compete on equal footing
greats the time.
His arrival on the international cycling scene takes place in 1983,
a year after joining the team as a professional Reynolds,
whose team leader is then Angel Arroyo.
In the Tour that year, Reynolds novices led by Echavarri, venture beyond the Pyrenees "and see what happens."
In the time trial of the Puy de Dome, Arroyo and give the surprise Perico occupying the first 2 posts and encouraging the race.
However, since at that time, they begin to become famous also for its fearsome pájaras, as Peter gets on the stage to Morzine as a result of some bad food, losing 25 minutes.

In 1984 returns to the Tour to win, but at this stage to La Plagne, Morzine
crack the tubular front and going headlong into a fence
fractured right clavicle. Yet reached the finish, but was forced to retire.
In the Tour of Spain from 1985 debuts with his new team, the Orbea.
During the course of the race his teammate
Pello Ruiz Cabestany and Scotland's Robert Millar is emerging as favorites.
In the 18th stage, between Alcala and Segovia, Perico is 6 th overall at 6 min. and 3 seconds. Millar leader.
however, has not yet thrown in the towel, after the attack at the top of Recio Preserves and in familiar territory, Perico is thrown behind him and hit him in the fall of Navacerrada, reaching
the two together to the finish with Perico advantage enough to win his first Tour.
That same year, Peter returned to the Tour, where only gets to be 6 and stage wins Luz Ardiden.

1986 is the year of his departure to the Dutch team PDM, where you lose the fear of running as outsiders.
This year's Tour of things are good: won the stage from Pau and is now 5th overall, but the July 20 death of his mother, though her family urges him to continue, Pedro was removed a day next stage of Alpe D'Huez climb Cross Iron.
Around 1987, Lucho Herrera wins and that makes 4, is a set-up for the Tour. This year will be that of his duel with Stephen Roche (who that year had already won the Giro and then win the World Cup).
His hand in hand with the Irish is epic, with Perico attacking whenever it sees occasion.
One such moment is in the process of Villard de Lans, in the Perico later regrets not being able to shoot at Roche.
In the stage of Alpe D'Huez Delgado and make history, since it is the first English rider who wears the yellow jersey in the Tour since 1973.
But he wants to keep this jersey to Paris and it has to extend the 21 sec. that leads to the Irish. Therefore, in the stage of La Plagne, Pedro attacks in the last port. Leaves just starting to come up with the idea of \u200b\u200bRoche put him 2 minutes ahead of the time trial in Dijon. However, it begins to sag to 3 km. the field goal and recovered Roche.
Although the same goal the Irish falter and have to apply oxygen
lost only 4 seconds and the next day out like a rose.
In Dijon, Roche won the time trial with a lead of 1 min. 1 sec on Delgado, who is finally 2 nd on the podium in Paris.

1988 is the year of Pedro Delgado. That season, begins his training with the Giro d'Italia, giving up to run the Tour a España, lo que causa cierto malestar en los organizadores la carrera y en ciertos círculos periodísticos cercanos económicamente a ésta. Sin embargo, parece que la preparación de esta temporada le va bien al segoviano: llega al Tour "como una moto" y el 14 de Julio ya se viste de amarillo en Alpe D'Huez, para ganar la etapa y aumentar su ventaja en la cronoescalada del día siguiente en Villard de Lans.
Todo va sobre ruedas cuando el día 19 en Burdeos sale a la luz la noticia del supuesto dopaje de Pedro Delgado. Aunque posteriormente se retiran los cargos contra él, todos estamos esos días pendientes y nerviosos, especialmente el propio Perico. Finalmente, el día 24, Perico sube de amarillo al podio de Paris.

The following year, 1989, Pedro Delgado returns to the Tour of Spain, where the fitness of the previous year appears to be with him. On the stage stood Cerler and 5 th overall and won the time trial Valdezcaray, leaving only 2 seconds of leadership: the next day dressed in yellow for not leaving until the end. Even
wins the time trial at Valladolid to Medina del Campo. In the 20 th stage, Parra, his most
rival firm, you still want to give battle, but do not get enough to take advantage
final triumph Perico. This is his second Vuelta.
His run of form seems appropriate to tackle the Tour. However, an oversight in the prologue in Luxembourg makes you lose 2 '40 "when arriving late at the start. The stir that forms is monumental and Perico, accusing him that night, loses 5 minutes in the team time trial the next day: his d esventaja is too great to win the Tour. But throughout the race, Peter moves and attacks trying to iron out differences and gala ends the round in third place, only 3'34 "Lemond (who will snatch victory on the last day to French Fignon).
Trying to make up for the bad luck of the last Tour, begins in 1990 in the Vuelta
to Spain, but can not defend his title against Italian surprising Giovanetti.
finished second, although we know little of their followers.
all confident that luck is favorable in the Tour, but this one
gastroenteritis in the early days of racing you from qualifying for the victory. In the last trial
gave third place overall, Breukink.

is not all bad luck in the Tour, which will be the English relay begins to uncover Perico. Miguel Indurain won in Luz Ardiden and is already beginning to think that you can win a Tour.

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Jacques Anquetil

On 18 November 1987, Jacques Anquetil left in his race against death. Defeated by cancer, and sang tohalla threw the other Jacques, Jacques Brel, just before succumbing, at about the same age, same implacable evil.

Jacques Anquetil was turning 54, and true to his legend, was dismissed with a trick it loaded fine irony, sharp and penetrating vision which accompanied him throughout his brilliant career of a champion. Just hours before he died, he would say to André Boucher, his first mentor, his second father, André Remember, I told you never die of cancer ... well, he was right, I have two.

The Norman Jacques Anquetil, who was also known by the nicknames of "Maître Jacques" or "Monsieur Chrono", was born in Mont Saint AIQUA (France) on January 8, 1934. Son of a farmer, when in 1952 by a team sheet aficionado, his father gives him permission on condition that won money, and if not, would have to go "to collect strawberries" with him. And well he won. And despite his precocity and his inexperience, surprising everyone, thus win his first French championship trial, amateur level, where there was not yet come of age. It was professional from 1954 to 1967 and the first year and won the Grand Prix of Nations (trial) taking more than 6 min, the second.

Despite coaching little, not watch your diet, and was even addicted to champagne, its successes happened very fast: in 1956 set the hour record at 46.159 km, which sat the bases to start an unstoppable race which had its first milestone in its debut in the Tour in 1957, will win cycling race with great superiority. Featured

trial specialist because of her figure aerodynamics on the bike and almost perfect ride, Anquetil also stood by his intelligence career, what to maximize their capabilities. This, together with the elegance of the bicycle, which never decomposed a glimpse of his figure or his opponents let the bad moments that certainly happened, brought him to become the first rider in history to victory in five Tours. Also won two Giros in Italy (he was the first Frenchman to win in the round transalpina) at 1,960 and 1,964, season in which he won the double: Giro and Tour. A year before he got another double, after winning the Tour and the Vuelta.

the Wall of Anquetil

always believed that the slut caught by Jacques Anquetil, during the ascent to Envalira in the Tour of 1964, the last of his five victories, was due to his presence a banque Ete organized by Radio Andorra in the rest day.
Indeed, Anquetil made history for both its hegemony on the bike as his disorderly life. As Geminiani wrote in his memoirs, he could in front of a buffet of "stalling the cheeks and lift his elbow," as his motto was that "to be good on the bike had to be good at the table and happy in life ". Anquetil married woman who had been his physician, the beautiful Janine. As he could not bear him children, Janine was offered the chance of having the daughter of his first marriage. And finally, Anquetil fell in love with the girlfriend of the son of Janine. Awesome.
But at the banquet just tried Andorra bite. Your slut in Envalira, which nearly cost him the Tour, was due to concerns that had the cyclist had made the prediction that the magician Belline in the daily France-Soir, that Anquetil would perish in the course of the 14 stage 1964 between Andorra and Toulouse. So caught the Wall. Geminiani did not react until he shouted from the car: "Jacques, if you have to die, drop dead already, but not before the sag wagon." Soon after, caught a Poulidor, his great rival, and saved the Tour.

ALL FOR ONE is the daughter of Annie Sophie Anquetil and daughter and granddaughter of the famous French cyclist Jacques Anquetil. A situation known, and consented to by the book just published by Sophie-by this strange family that was organized as a harem and also included the rider's daughter, with whom he had another son before he died. Clear?

This is the story of a girl who was fathered by her grandfather, grandmother of the wife, mother is the daughter of his grandmother and brother to his own cousin. Complicated? The girl has now thirty-five years, is called Sophie and wrote a book, "Pour l'amour de Jacques. It was the Frenchman Jacques Anquetil, a glory of world cycling, while d ueño y señor de su harén en Normandía, padre atento, devorador de manjares, bígamo, amante de sus fiestas, de sus amigos y de las mujeres. El tuvo tres. Respectivamente y por turno: madre, hija y nuera.
Sophie habla de “una magnífica historia de amor” de la que siempre se sintió “orgullosa y admirada”, donde ella fue “el centro de interés” de un “amor profundo” y de una familia donde “todo se compartía”. Hay que entender que el clan Anquetil vivió bajo el lema de los mosqueteros: uno para todas y todas para uno. Su padre fue un héroe dominador, tanto en su vida profesional como privada. Ganó todos los premios posibles cycling, collected world titles effortlessly possessed all the women of his clan. He always knew he would go far, that would make money and that the family would be his kingdom. A kingdom that was so sheltered as a child on his birthday. In 1969 Jacques Anquetil
retired in full glory. It was a sort of demigod in his country, France, but never managed to conquer the hearts of the people. A hard, dry, easy to admire but hard to love. Too blond, too calculating, cold-eyed and distant.
In 1954, after 20 years as a star was dedicated. His friendship with his personal physician, a pioneer of sports medicine, will convulse the lives of both. After being asked everyday to spend weekends with the family doctor, Jacques appropriates-or home-with the doctor's wife, Nanou. The divorced couple's children, Annie (8) and Alain (6), decide to follow and the poor doctor will not want to see them no more or hologram.
After more than a decade installed in the castle where seven hundred hectares cultivated Anquetil Nanou reigned, the rider's desire to have children of their own blood kicks the table. Nanou has tubes tied and do not want another operation. What to do? The solution is called Annie, the daughter of his wife who known and raising the age of eight. At twenty is an attractive young woman and adores his champion.
"For (my dad) to stay home, Nanou will offer his own daughter. They played with fire, "Sophie recognize. And Annie adds: "I am not a victim, I also played with fire." "It was an emotional manipulation," says Sophie, "my father was like the prince of the fairy tale and my mother thought of providing pleasure to both." To explain, Nanou prefers to speak of a decision taken by the "basic cell of the family: my husband, my children and me." This particular surrogate
you able to choose? Could it have said no to the proposal of his own mother? "Jacques was a charismatic despot, subtle, he never imposed anything. To me, "continued Annie, no one asked me what I thought. Say you left me free to do what they wanted me to do. It was like a dictator but we loved dearly. That changes everything. "Anquetil in the sultanate was only free to choose what strings attached. The women were his property and he is personally responsible for your care.
"In the book, when you talk of the order that you did to your mother-Annie-recognizing that" it was an order, "but you do not mind the idea. Why Why?
"On the one hand, they are my parents and, on the other, my mother was in love with him and felt a great admiration for the couple. Also, my dad was very particular almost always get what he wanted without formulating it directly. Annie
acknowledges that when his mother came to my room to explain that I had to give him a son Jacques, I do not know what I thought, I was stunned. I was part of Anquetil universe where the laws did not apply outside world, but disappeared before the undisputed leader. And then I found myself in bed with the sacred mission of procreation, compared to an event that completely beyond me. "
- Love justifies everything?
"If mutual and not forced, yes," answered Sophie, the daughter of that closure.
The girl is the meeting point of all. To the outside world, she is the daughter of Jacques and Nanou. Although So-Phie says he knows the truth all along. "Certainly," says Annie-Sophie was first and foremost the daughter of the clan before mine. "" I was always happy to have two mothers and a father so extraordinary, "said Sophie, with the pride of the elect.
At night, each room of the chateau Anquetil lets play the game of perpetual beginning. In Annie's room, the youngest and favorite for 12 years, enjoys feeling again. Then he goes to meet Nanou, his wife, Annie's mother, the grandmother of her daughter. And he sleeps clinging to the lightness of the known. Sophie does the reverse route. He sleeps in the arms of her grandmother, then exile in his mother's room.
However, life does not circulate freely in the chateau, there are unwritten rules, codes and rituals to perform. This is how, tired of witnessing the same show for twelve years, Annie decides one day emancipating. Anquetil not support the idea that the youngest of her Geisha split and the threat to something that is not going to like it, change it to Dominique.
Dominique is the wife of Alain Annie's brother, whom Jacques also raised as his own son. A while sharing the same household. Of this latter union, born Christophe (both, brother and cousin Sophie). Jacques Anquetil soon die, "in 1987 - at age 53.
Listening to Sophie, one can not help thinking about the trauma. "Trauma? What trauma? Sophie radiates the joy of living, is a militant who claims this particular family.
- What is it you admire in your father in this story?
"That was all done without lies and respect for others. Fijate today all those men who have a double life, is much worse. Test that only about love is that today we all want and see.
- Would you live with two men, father and son or husband and lover?
"I live with one man and is already complicated enough. But why not? He says and bursts into laughter.

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Octave Lapize


Octave Lapize was 29 when he fell in front of Verdun on July 14, 1917, Sergeant Lapize was shot five times in the body while piloting his plane, which had drawn a Rooster in the fuselage and a huge number four, in memory of dorsal exhibited in 1910, when at 22 year won the Tour.
made history by becoming the first runner who topped the Tourmalet. That was an impressive feat.
Luchon stage left and went to Bayonne, after 326 miles and just over 14 hours of pedaling, the incredible average, taking into account the age of 23 kilometers per hour. Lapize had to be part of the climb the Tourmalet and the Aubisque on foot, since he could not balance because of the huge boulders that hindered the route.
The day after his feat was rest day. Lapize passed it inside his room with his feet bloody and swollen. Cooling it sought relief in a bowl with salt and vinegar. Also killed in the war Lucien Petit-Breton, winner of the 1907 and 1908 Tours, and François Faber, winner in the edition of 1909, he enlisted in the Foreign Legion.

won the Tour de France 1910 in the only year they managed to finish the race. Among his achievements, in addition to this victory, the victory stands out in three consecutive editions of Paris-Roubaix, and four national championships in road, three professional and one amateur category. He also earned a bronze medal in the road race of the 1908 Olympics and broke the hour record in various ways.
His deafness cruel handicap prevented him from communicating with journalists who recounted their exploits in detail but they could not interview him, this led it to be excluded from military service in 1907 and he would have avoided going to war if Rome had not stirred in order to become enrolled Santiago as vuluntario, with the tragic end we know.
athlete It was a beautifully proportioned, small stature (1.65 m) but with a large muscle, a class and an unusual character.
Henri Desgranges, in "L'Auto" left their impressions on the "curls", just days after his victory in Paris-Roubaix: I have before my eyes Lapize photography. It has all the earmarks of a great wheeler: the face vigorous, strong jaw, stare, pointed mustache, as befits a "horse" named after long hours of suffering on the road, throwing kisses to the girls beautiful, big chest, legs well established, powerful thighs and powerful hands capable of bending the handlebars all the world when it supports them in the climbs. OCTAVE


pencil and Aubisque
Octave Lapize go down in history elected via an immortal phrase.
In 1910 he was to celebrate the seventh edition of the successful career of fools called the Tour de France. Up that moment all the phases were almost flat but promoted few ports had gathered a huge amount of public. Henry
Desgranges, head of Tour organizer and newspaper, L'Auto, met in the spring of that year to his colleagues to decide new scenarios that will further increase interest in the race. His collaborator and journalist Alphonse Steines suggested that the race crossed the Pyrenees, at that time an uninhabited area, inhospitable, with dilapidated roads and bears roam freely through the summits.
Desgranges flatly refused at first, but finally agreed on condition that Steiner was able to walk, drive, all the way to the future stage.
The Peyresourde and the Aspin could pass without problems and the Aubisque got a financial commitment to condition the road Desgranges. The natives warned him to be removed from the head the Tourmalet, completely impractical, but Stein, stubborn, rented a car and driver and set out to cross the Col du Tourmalet, of Sainte Marie de Campan to Barèges.
In spring, the top of the Tourmalet was completely covered by snow. The driver, startled by the ice from the road, four kilometers from the summit refused to continue. Steines was not discouraged, and though darkness fell continued his journey on foot.
The sun was setting in the valley when, exhausted and alone, reached 2115 meters from the port. Without entertainment, began the descent into Barèges.
Imagine the silence, the crackle of the snow that covers the knees, the cold, the suspect bears stalking the dark, hidden ravines, the dread of a Parisian lost 2,000 meters in uncharted territory and wild .
After a few hours down in the dark, cold and dead tired, a raid organized by the driver found him, faint, near near the town of Barèges. It was three o'clock. But Steiner was a crazy Tour.
The next morning, without fault, Desgranges sent a telegram to inform him if the situation: After the Tourmalet. Road in good condition. Perfectly practicable. Steiner.
On July 21, 1910 was held the tenth stage of Tour de France, Luchon-Bayonne 327km with the ports of Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet, and Osquich Aubisque.
Octave Lapize, the eventual winner of the Tour, attacked like crazy just after departure. At the wheel was two corridors, Garrigou and Lafourcade. All three were up and down together each of the ports in that wild and unknown territory to the foot of the Aubisque terrifying. There Lapize and Garrigou, exhausted, collapsed and could not prevent Lafourcade cogiera them advantage.
tumbling to Whip up a foot in many places, Lapize could crown the summit on the verge of choking with fourteen minutes late. At the top was a member of the organization controlling the passage of the runners. I glared Lapize, threw the bike to the ground and stomped it was to confront him. Grabbed him by the lapels, accumulated air in their lungs tired and his nose a foot spat: Murderers, murderers are you about! But Lapize finished the 177km stage remaining.
He recovered, chased and won in Bayonne Lafourcade. The other runners were coming in dropper for hours in a state that some had to bring in arms to the shelters.

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Federico Martin Bahamontes

Saying 'Eagle of Toledo' is the same as speaking of Federico Martín Bahamontes. Considered by some as the best pure climber in history, the Toledo also had a peculiar character because of that probably did not accumulate a track record richer.
was born in a small town known only 1700 inhabitants Val de Santo Domingo in 1928. His father, Julian Martin was called, worked as a road worker until he decided on his own risk and move to the city of Toledo, where, people said, was money (!). Found work in a orchard, the common name in that neighborhood and that is a large fenced garden with fruit trees and large house, which stood on the outskirts of the city. It was the daily sacrifice of a father for their children.
At seventeen, Bahamontes began working as a carpenter

without much luck. Became interested in the sport by playing football with kids his age playing in a vast solar. Was not bad, but still his fellow-sufferer who pushed him to buy a second hand bike and accompany them on some trips cyclists. His father agreed to do the economic outlay rigor. It took no less than 50 dollars. The bicycle also was of great use to move fruit from one side to another, it can be sold and get some money. Am also hard work exerted in the market in the movement of boxes.
In Toledo, there was a very steep hill that was noticed. It was known as Christ the Light. They challenged his friends and there are envisioned ease on the pedals. However, in a medical examination as a result of having suffered a typhoid, a physician was found to have a clear thoracic insufficiency that does not bode well come. He hovered over a dark horizon was not.

His appearance on the professionalism, the place in the Tour of Asturias, paying out of pocket registration and presenting proof to a dress shirt, football pants and sandals. The criticism came to him for his lack of team spirit and his little tactical sense, it ran until all her strength.
It's good to know that Bahamontes, not having sufficient financial means, only 100 pesetas, bike moved to the northern lands, covering 700 km in three days to participate in that competition. He did it with other bold companions. A fact unprecedented. Cycling then was considered an unusual activity and somewhat modest cyclists were forced to make that kind of crazy. Traveling mounted on his bike and then competed.

BAHAMONTES_TOUR, 1959

The genius of Federico Martín Bahamontes divided Spain in the late fifties. With him or against him. You had to understand. It was a challenging cycling. Gallo sometimes devious others. Outrageous. Before birth and pedaled. His mother, already pregnant, went with the bike uphill through the streets of Toledo. The kid grew up in the orchard where the Republicans fixed their mortars to bombard the fortress. Ate hunger. And he made a living on a tricycle, kid distribution. O with sacks of potatoes on his shoulder. With handkerchief with four points. Castile in the black market, of penury.
In 1957, Bahamontes was a legend. Still talking about his ice cream at the top of the Romeyére. And there went up first, licking a pole, waited for the rest. No arrogance, that he had plenty, but not down alone. The of this year was a Civil War Tour. In the Tour of Spain, Loroño, a quiet man, had come to blows with the Toledo. Spain divided. The Biscay finished fifth in Paris and Castilian retired. "Fede can do no more." He lay in the gutter. In the fetal position. Goddet, pattern Tour his loyal fan approached him: "Go Fred." Answer: "No". He insisted: "Do it for your mother." "No". Again: "For Fermina." "No". "In Spain." "No". "Do it for Franco." "No". He hurt his elbow, pierced by an injection of calcium misplaced. "It hurts, but not to leave," criticized the English team. The next day, Bahamontes, suitcase in one hand and the other bike, threw on the train to Toledo. Spain whistled.
Then came the 1959 Tour. Yours. The first of a English citizen. Galdeano, one of his gregarious, well remembered in the great book 'Mad About Tour': 'Bahamontes is a guy who like to escape someone who has a hobby, he jumps, he goes by the plains to get him. Win the mountain and grows. And then lose half an hour on the plain, and blames the domestic to the team. " A mad genius. Dalmacio
Langarica, in charge of making the English team was ín Bahamontes timamente convinced that he was able to win the Tour if it were left to handle. So he accepted the first condition of Toledo: "If I go I will not Loroño."
France cyclist had his own war: Bobet, Geminiani, Riviere and Anquetil looked askance. Langarica took advantage. There Loroño left at home, costing him a thousand problems in Bilbao. Neck was played for choosing single leader Bahamontes. The madman.
In the time trial in Nantes, the 'lettuce', and called him, was dressed in fox hunting was allowed by the figure of silk and placed Anquetil wheel. So only lost two minutes. Rivals waiting for him in the Alps. They were wrong. It was in the 219 kilometers between Albi and Aurillac, in the furnace of Midi. Accelerated and knocked out more than 20 minutes to Gaul and Bobet. Then he won the time trial at the volcano, the Puy de Dome. And did the lace on the Romeyere, port ice cream, accompanied by Gaul. It had to be there. "Federico is no longer a fool, "he said of himself. A genius. ICE CREAM
Bahamontes

Tour de France, 1954, in the foothills of the first port of the day, The Romeyre, Bahamontes is accompanied by 3 riders, 2 French (Breton Jean Mallejac who was second in a Tour and Jean Le Guilly ) and a Swiss, Fritz Schaer, who was second final or stage after Lucien Lazarides. In the first kilometers of the climb, the car comes to his Swiss team rider to tell him not relieved, and then skip some stones of the road that goes to Bahamontes wheel spokes breaking several of its wheels. To avoid being rozase, loosens the brake Fede of that wheel to continue to the summit, and gave them the usual two axes with busting his rivals, one for testing as they and the other forces the final, to go solo. And of course it was alone. And quietly crowned with a couple of minutes ahead. But just could not lose, and I had to wait at the top. And Bahamontes, clown, alien and his very own, could not think of anything but hang out having ice cream at a nearby. He approached the seller and, let alone as they do not know anything at all French, with 2 fingers pointed out: "deux boules" muttered the merchant, and made her a cone with 2 scoops of ice cream Vanilla, who took Federico Martín Bahamontes at the top of the Romeyre, waiting for the jeep that had provided the organization for Julian Berrendero and the English arrived. And so was he, licking his ice cream in the middle of the Tour de Francia.Y press was merciless, pictures everywhere ... seemed to take the race to laugh, and tabloid editions illustrated as an amusing anecdote of the race.

Bahamontes AND TOURMALET
A Alphonse Steines, an associate of Henri Desgrange, the inventor of the Tour, is due the discovery of the Tourmalet as top rider, back in the winter of 1910, a few months Octave Lapize before the cross for the first time in history. Federico Martín Bahamontes be honored to have been cowed not ever with the toughness and the magic of the Tourmalet. Even today, the Eagle of Toledo maintains its particular record in the French round. Four times crossed the legendary top in first position.

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Fausto Coppi

Fausto Coppi had a life of romance, and his death was no less. But campeonissimo history is still being written. Incredibly, today, 48 years after his massive funeral, yet there are new players in their demise. The last Mino Caudullo was a former leader of the CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee). Ensures Coppi did not die because of malaria, as established by the death certificate, but by a mysterious poison was supplied in Africa. It is the latest chapter in the biography of one of the greatest myths of the postwar period in the fifties. Fausto Coppi
was a genius on the bike, but had a problem. He was born at the wrong time, the September 15, 1919. Italy still shaking shrapnel from the Great War and, like other children of that time, his life constantly crossing over warmongering. World War II was the culprit that he Sumara Tours only two on his resume. The French race was suspended from 1940 to 1946, inclusive. Coppi and was then dawning. Eight years
was mounted for the first time on a bike. Used it to his first job, a grocery delivery boy. Thanks to Biagio Cavanna, the magician of the muscles, thought to be a cyclist, and became convinced of this when they came to the Giro del Piemonte and found his greatest rival, Gino Bartali.
Bartali, nicknamed the flying monk, represented the antithesis of Coppi. The first was ordained, religious, tenacious ... and longevity. He died in May 2001, at age 85. Coppi was messed up, man of the Left, elegant, melancholy ... and died prematurely, at 41 years. But even though their lives so far apart, provided they can find a common point. In the new version over the death of Coppi, the key character in the plot is the father René, a French Benedictine. Again a monk gets in the way of campeonissimo.
all started with an interview published this month in the sports daily Corriere dello Sport to Mino Caudullo, in which he had an experience in 1985 on the occasion of his trip to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), representing the Olympic committee . There he met the monk, an octogenarian, who reveals a secret confession to lay a story unheard. Apparently, some Africans wanted to avenge the death of a cyclist in Ivory Coast, a certain Canga, which plunged into a ravine in mysterious circumstances during a race where runners participated Europe. According to the father René, the deceased's family supplied Coppi an herbal poison. . We do not know how.
He actually came in late 1959 in Ouagadougou, accompanied by Anquetil and Geminiani. Ten days after returning from the trip, Geminiani, Coppi roommate during those 16 days, fell ill. Was 23 December. He suffered from malaria and was restored immediately. Coppi had the same symptoms on December 27 could not get up of bed and had to enter the hospital. Then, he changed the diagnosis: it was pneumonia. Geminiani's brother telephoned the hospital, but doctors 'response was,' Do not worry about the health of Faust. " On January 2, 1960, after a night of agony, Coppi died. It was flu or pneumonia, but malaria.
But now the monks insist on Koubri 'Coppi was poisoned in retaliation for the death of a corridor of Bouake (Ivory Coast)', says father Adrian, a fellow of the deceased father René. 'I think he died in a fall in the Tour. His family and friends wanted revenge and poisoned him with a potion well known in Burkina Faso, hecha con una hierba de la tierra. Actúa lentamente y causa fiebres altas'.
Sin embargo, esta historia no escapa a la sospecha. ¿Cuánto hay de cierto? ¿P or qué Coppi murió, y no Geminiani? ¿Por qué Caudullo no desveló todo esto en 1985, al conocerlo? ¿Cómo es que le contó aquello el padre René? ¿Dónde murió el ciclista africano? De momento, la fiscalía de Roma ha abierto un expediente para investigar cuánto hay de cierto en esta versión. De momento el Tour no tiene constancia de que haya participado nunca en él un ciclista de Costa de Marfil.
Además, hay respetables opiniones que alientan el escepticismo. La más cercana comes from the son of Coppi, Faustino: 'The only certainty is that if my father had been treated properly would have lived. They said I had pneumonia, he was given cortisone and immediately went into a coma. "
Italian court is willing to go to the exhumation of the body of Coppi. Here come more questions. Is it possible to verify the cause of death after 48 years? Italy, as in the days of Coppi and Bartali, has become divided into two. Those who want to get to the bottom, even at the cost of memory campeonissimo wallow, and those who take refuge in silence because they think, with the myths do not play. Both sides agree on the same: the mystery haunts Coppi.

From humble family, got his first bike with 8 years and used to work as a delivery of groceries in the neighboring town of Novi Ligure. In 1937, Biagio Cavanna known discoverer who encouraged him to participate in amateur races. The exceptional physical characteristics to surface soon in the young Coppi.

In 1939, professional passes where he won six races this season. But the leap to fame Coppi was a year later when, starting as a herd of Gino Bartali, won the first of five Money in Italy. In addition, this victory made him the youngest rider to win is all in the Giro d'Italia in 20 years, 8 months and 25 days, a record still unbeaten. Also in 1940 and 1941, was proclaimed specialty Italian champions persecution.

In 1942, set the hour record Vigorelli velodrome in Milan, leaving the new mark at 45.871 km, a record that stood 14 years until the world record of Jacques Anquetil in 1966.
But the war party of its upstroke. Sent to Africa with the infantry "Divisione Ravenna" is taken prisoner by the English, released in 1945.
In 1945, running a race with the cycling section of the Società Sportiva Lazio.

In 1946, created the legendary Fausto Coppi and dating from the Bianchi team, which would be linked with the Italian champions for a decade. Coppi's arrival soon pays off when he wins his first Milan-San Remo with an epic flight that starts at the Paso del Turchino and ends with 14 minutes ahead of second place. That year he also won three stages in the Giro (though usually the lead Bartali) Grand Prix of Nations, the Circuit of Lugano and the Tour of Lombardy. In 1947, seven years after the first, won his second Giro d'Italia.

in 1949, comes the final consecration Coppi international. First round wins San Remo and the Giro Lombardia (who wins) signs one of which will be his most famous feats: 192 kilometers alone on the stage between Cuneo and Pinerolo. The famous journalist Mario Ferretti say in his chronicle a phrase that would go into the history of cycling:
A single man in charge, his jersey is white and light blue. Your name, Fausto Coppi. The third Giro
in his pocket, faces his first Tour de France. Fausto began badly, losing half an hour month in the first stage. But he knew how to recover, dominating the two stages against the clock and take over the stage from Briançon and Aosta. Get the victory in general being the first man who manages to win Giro and Tour in the same year, while France was born the myth of "Foster."

In 1950, Coppi has a spectacular start to the season. Wins Paris-Roubaix and Fleche Wallonne. But fate turns his back to the "Capionnissimo" when at the stage of the Tour between Vicenza and Bolzano, a runner who is ahead knocks Faust, which causes him three broken ribs as terminating the season.

In 1951, things did not improve for Coppi Serse and his brother, also a cyclist, died at the Giro del Piemonte, due to another fall. The death of his brother Fausto which affects a discrete Giro. All However, in the Tour that year (and even suffered a nervous breakdown), wins Alpine stage between Gap and Briançon.

In 1952, fully recognizes his agnosticism, statements raised hackles in the Italian society to the extent that the Azzurri are declared supporters of Coppi (agnostic) and Bartali (devout Catholic).
religious ideologies aside, 1952 is again a banner year for Coppi. Three stage wins Giro d'Italia, five in the Tour (one of them, the first arrival at Alpe d'Huez in the history of the "Grande Boucle" and has since devoted French round top to Coppi), and come Marillo the jersey to Paris.

in 1953, is the year in getting the fifth Giro d'Italia and won the world championships in Lugano, but their activity was being reduced because of some accidents. In that round Italian Coppi was the center of the gossip column of the moment by having an extramarital affair with Giulia Occhini, wife of Dr. Locatelli, passionate supporter of Coppi. Occhini conmocida would henceforth as the "White Lady." Fausto and Giulia began a long love affair and where the Pope himself came to condemn openly. Coppi and his first wife Bruna Ciampolini is Sepro in 1954, while Locatelli Occhini sued for adultery. As a result, women had to enter in jail while Coppi was her passport. After many difficulties, the couple married in Mexico (marriage never recognized in Italy) and had a son, Faustino.

win in 1954 one of his last great race the Tour of Lombardy. In 1959 some French cyclists participating in a race meeting and hunting in the Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso). and there are infected by malaria. The disease diagnosis was made late and the disease itself was healed wrong, so that Faust died at just 40 years.

COPPI Arras in GIRO

Fausto Coppi is considered by many as the greatest cyclist of all time, alongside Eddy Merckx. Although his resume is not as impressive as the Belgian, we must bear in mind that his career was interrupted in part by World War II. Still, his resume listed 2 Tours (9 steps), 5 Giros (22 stages) 1 World Championship, 1 Paris-Roubaix, 5 Turns 3 Lombardy and Milan-San Remo.

We find ourselves in 1949, particularly in the Giro d'Italia, who after facing the tough stages Dolomitic rushing on this day a transcendent journey that passed in part by France. It came from Cuneo to Pinerolo and came with a tour along of no less than 254 kilometers, aggressive schedule taking into account that you had to save five majestic high mountain passes, Vars, Izoard, La Madeleine, Mont-Genève and finally the climb to Sestriere. Together they accounted for an increase equivalent to 90 kilometers, enlivened by the intense cold and constant rain. The fog covered summits and jealously as a whole the show was truly gruesome.
Coppi, that day, won with amazing ease unprecedented. He was on the run, just head over 192 km. His 'rival', Gino Bartali, another champion of reputable, stepped on tape reaching more than twelve minutes. In the final classification of the Giro, the Tuscan was second to almost twenty-four minutes from the legendary Fausto Coppi.

Another achievement to highlight positions us well in the Giro d'Italia 1953, in Bolzano Bormio stage, which is facing the famous Stelvio with 2,758 meters of altitude. It was the Swiss leader Hugo Koblet, who retained a lead of 1'59 "on Coppi, second in the standings. The Swiss broker was monopolizing all the odds in your favor. He covered his youth and good form. Was the great star of the new generation and the recent future.
In the first lines of the Stelvio, Coppi attacked with courage and conviction. The large peloton broke into pieces and Koblet, tough at first, had to capitulate to the evidence of the facts. He found himself helpless against the Italian seemed to fly over the asphalt. In the tape arrived, the crowd cheered with great enthusiasm to his idol, Coppi, eventually winning the final of the issue, while Koblet, drowned by the efforts, made its entry to almost four minutes in a bitter day never forgotten .

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Maurice Garin

came alive in the legend by becoming the first winner of the Tour. And nothing more deserved because he was the archetype of the rider in all that constitutes its greatness and popularity. Maurice Garin
Aviers born in the Aosta valley, a March 23, 1871. It was, therefore, could not speak Italian but a single word that was not in the dialect of the valley (according to the Italian authorities at the time), who was none other than French.
Maurice made his living across the border to work as a chimney sweep in French cities. It was a tradition in the Alps is to provide chimney sweeps who tended to the large cities and middle-class families.
was established finally (after a long walking with his father and brothers) in a town called Lens, where work as a miner escaped thanks to his skills as a bricklayer and the recommendation of a fellow-arrived several years before him - who got a job at a masonry company.
When he became a glory rider nicknamed him the Little Chimney Sweep, as Small was on his short stature (1.62 m 61 kg), which shocked even those who said that this was a sport athletes.
Encouraged by the success of the first cycles, saved enough to buy a machine when he was twenty. Two years later he became a star, by winning both races plagued sportmen large fund, the name given to the amateurs of the era. The 800 km. Paris and the Dinant-Namur-Dinant.
With metronomic regularity, and exceptional courage and endurance, he won two years in the 24 hours from Paris, and Paris-Le Mans (1896), and participated in the first edition of Paris-Roubaix, test would win the next two seasons.
His victory in the Hell of the North caused waves of excitement, and this is not a euphemism. In his second triumph, the Velodrome Parc Barbieux was crowded and the fans who found no place in it climbed onto the roof of a nearby house causing it to collapse ...
A star was born. A star that grow in every heart in the coming years, in which Maurice Garin, accompanied by his brothers César and Ambroise, accumulated a good number of victories.
When Henri Desgranges launched the idea of \u200b\u200bthe first Tour de France, Maurice was the first to sign up. All his fans waited for their victory, and were not disappointed.
This popularity explains why the following year, the commissioners waited four months to disqualify (think it was better to wait for it to cool the passions unleashed by his victory on the road). If they had taken this decision walk from goal, surely there had been a riot with lynchings in the ranks of the commissioners ...
This disqualification to which was added a suspension for two seasons, ended the career of the Little Chimney Sweep, who was then thirty years. He retired to Lens where he opened a garage that remained until the fifties.
Invited to give the output of the 1953 Tour, Maurice Garin, good-looking despite his 82 years, contented himself with a brief statement:
My young friends, you can never understand the difficulties we faced with our machines rudimentary on roads impossible. These were more hostile our enemies, however, have left many beautiful memories in me.
The memory of a glory never tarnished, of a life that would not have achieved without the bike and, above all, an unexpected social promotion. 1902 Maurice Garin told a journalist: "Before I am a man champion of the people. I did not know that these two notions are inherent to the sport would cyclist.


KEY MOMENTS OF THE FIRST TOUR (1903)
were seventy-six in the exit in front of the restaurant The Alarm., In Montgeron. Seventy-six pioneers into the unknown starting in the first Tour de France, run over six stages for a total distance of 2407 km., Or upper half to 400 km. by stage.
On July 1 at 15 h. 16 'turned out to Lyon. Maurice Garin would first at 9 am the following day. The runners were put back on track, it is time ta to Marseille, on the night of 4 to 5 at 2h 30 'in the morning. In the Canebière, around 17 hours this time, win Acouturier, but Garin problems since the Colossus was left in the first stage and did not run it as part (a category invented by the organizers, fearful of running out of riders in the race .) This formula
live just two days. In the third stage was blatantly Acouturier of Georget, so it was decided to separate the two squads. First came the brokers that applied for the general classification and an hour later, partial. Garin was in the lead throughout the race, attacking vigorously to eliminate his most fearsome enemy: Georget. Garin came fresh to the finish and still had the guts to declare to reporters: mission accomplished, but did not hide his disappointment at losing the sprint ahead of Orange, Sanson and Pothier, who were all the way to his wheel without giving a relief.
The stage ended in Bordeaux (268 km.) Saw its output at 3 o'clock in the morning in front of the Café de Sion, where a cinematographer projected images of the previous stages in a white sheet. Garin
This time he took the stage, if only the referees saw him cross the finish line in first position. For many there was no doubt that was the Bruseles Sanson who had won the stage in a clean and honest but ...
On July 14, Nantes, unanswered won their final victory possible and ensuring that Georget had left, and Pothier - revelation, "I had a good lead. Not content with previously acquired, won the final stage in Paris, entering into history. Its advantage over Pothier (2 º), was 2 hours 49 '45 ", and Millocheau, 21 º and last-placed 6h 24 '22 ".

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Luis Ocaña

ran between two shades and two escaped shadows: the Eddie Merckx and yours. Luis Ocaña
has died violently, caught by his own hand, as he lived violently on the bike, driven by its own legs. Died and cycled in the solitude of suicide and the fighter until the end respecting a picture of misery, isolation and intransigence that helps to explain two different attitudes: one of supreme resignation and a rebellion. Eddy Merckx
had told him: "Gather more conditions than me. If race was smarter, would best results. " A half-truth. Ocaña was no better than Merckx, no one was and no one will be, perhaps, but was guilty of inappropriate excessive combativeness that hurt many times.
His vehemence was the daughter of a maverick spirit that made him the only one daring to fight the dictatorship of the great champion of Belgium, where the others followed. All the sporting life of Ocaña was a constant struggle to shake off that slab with name and surname cycling rose to their highest levels, while threatening to suffocate.
did not succeed in the end because the fight was too unequal, but he wrote some of the most beautiful pages epic sport. Ocaña dimension would have reached greater heights if Merckx had not been his contemporary. Among them was established a relationship that Merckx was calm in his domain, and fierce Ocaña frustration. They were the heirs
Duo-Poulidor Anquetil and Indurain preceded composed and Bugno. A history of tyranny and dissent, in the case of Bugno, was eventually confessed domestication, abandonment of illusions and responsibilities. Ocaña Poulidor and never give up. The English lived more dangerously than the French. The risk sometimes led him to paradise and other purgatory. Ocaña
largely revolved around to Merckx as the life of convicted brief tour around the executioner. When he won, he did on Merckx or its memory. When he lost, was because of Merckx or its threat. Ocaña
shadows ran against two escaped and two shadows: the Merckx and yours. Both the stimulated and surrendered. Both are focused above all on the Tour, a test at the height of both because both were worthy of that test. The Tour hal ló Ocaña most unfortunately and greater glory.
In l971 the Witch and the Fairy riding on his bicycle. In stage-Orcières Merlette Grenoble, Ocaña donned the yellow jersey and left Merckx nearly nine minutes. At the Tour could occur Belgium's historic defeat which might have partly changed the power relations between men. But Ocaña fell on the descent of the damned forever col de Mente and the dream was shattered.

The story is well known and equally distributed by the epic poems and plays of tears. Ocaña no before and after the fact, but a Ocaña summed up in two days that shook the cycling world: the imperial and Ocaña Ocaña unfortunate.

This man was born on June 9, 1945 in Priego (Cuenca) and obtained as exceptional time trial was his first resounding victory in the Grand Prix des Nations 's (1965) in the amateur category, won many races, but less than it would have deserved: the Tour of Spain (1970), the Setmana Catalana (1969 and 1973), the Midi Libre (1969), the Vuelta a la Rioja (1969), the Dauphiné Libéré (1970, 72, 73), the Tour of Catalonia (1971), the Tour of Basque Country (1973), the Grand Prix of Nations (1971) and many others, including two titles champion of Spain (1968 and 1972).
also was second in the Tour of Spain (1969, 1973 and 1976) and third in the same Tour (1971) and World Championship (1973). In the Tour, which debuted in 1966, won a stage in 1970 two in 1971 and six in l973, the year of his final triumph. Twenty days wore the yellow jersey 'La Grande Boucle. "
The list of successes can be attributed to their misfortunes, many of them the result of his lack of control. The Tour of 70, of 72, including 73 glorious, the Tour's 74 ... witnessed falls and mishaps. Here and there, bronchitis, colds and boils were creating a profile Ocaña pedaling along the edge of the knife.
a rough life in the good and bad that went on when he left the bike. He had come through emigration to France when he was eleven years old. Cycling gave enough money to buy vineyards in Mont-de-Marsan, place of residence. His public support for the far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen to be understood as a desire to forget his humble origins as the result of a character often abrupt.

When he left the sport in 1977, found no calm. Not as coach of Colombia, or as director of Teka and Fagor, or as manager of the Belgian ADR, or as public relations Mavisa Doors found accommodation. Everywhere crashed for reasons that some see as uncompromising honesty and other intolerance.
Who knows! Who cares! Each person is an enigma and we like to remind Ocaña nothing mysterious in the area of \u200b\u200bsupreme effort. Nobody knows why he has killed. There is talk that businesses were not buoyant, the abandonment of his wife Josianne; of bad relationship with his son Jean-Louis, who was going to grandfather (also had a daughter named Sophie) of their cancer following a blood transfusion after one of its crashes. Ocaña

drove like a madman and several times nearly lost his life on the road. With the bike with the word, with the car, Ocaña was graceful and punished for his outbursts. His last drive was wielding a gun and blow his head. Too many things within it to further living. Call anyone a coward. There is no greater act of courage to go to death, and to victory, for the most direct route.

OCAÑA-MERCKX

A Luis Ocana in France called him l'Espagnol. In Spain, the French. He said: "I am more English than the Leader. I want to run in the English national team." But the coach, Gabriel Saura and Luis Puig, who was president of the federation, and the delegate of sports, Samaranch, he responded: "We are not stock brokers in the team."
"But I would kill for Spain ...
On the outskirts of Priego, on a bluff between the trees, on land that gave the City Hall, Luis Ocaña was built a tower. I drew, he planned and designed the furniture to your taste recalling his past as an apprentice carpenter. He spent one day than another and the rest of the year was left closed. It sold right away, tired of the ravages of vandals and thieves. It was the only material link with the people of Cuenca where he was born in 1945. Luis Ocaña arrived in France in 1957, when he was 12 years with his parents and his sister Amparo, who moved to Lourdes, and his brother Antonio. In France, two brothers were born, Marie France and Michel.
"as blacks worked in Spain and did not win to live. We had lost war. A kilo of bread a day my father gave him for his work. We were forced to emigrate. "Priego

They left in 1951 when Luis Ocaña was six years old and barely had time to learn to read and write in the village school. Before arriving in France stood at the Val d'Aran where labor was needed for the construction of a hydroelectric plant.'s father became a carpenter, Roofing and worked there, in the shadow of Portillon, the port that leads to France in the sources of the Garonne. But the house they were assigned was obscure. Louis was a sickly child, she had respiratory problems, need light, I needed sunshine. One day they decided they crossed the border Candide as he had done before Soria, his uncle. Ocaña recalled: "First we went to Magnan, in the Gers, north of Pau, where he spent two years and then I Houga, the next village. For an immigrant is not much to choose from, or mines, or pine, or laborer in the field. I went to school in Spain and I was not wrong, but in France it was not long. It is very difficult to start everything from scratch. Just keep the passion for painting and drawing. "
entered the great cycling and soon his pride hit a monster, Eddy Merckx, the Cannibal. He said: "Eddy won me on the bike, but one day I was partying with him has ta am and I endured the pace. "
Ocaña I was too scared to Merckx. He told Jiménez Nemesio, a cyclist from Kas:" This bastard is killing us. Nor do the other riders of the time he wanted much to Belgium. Nemesio Dice "He was very anxious, leaving nothing for others, until the sprints sprint. It bothered her that someone took the initiative. When we moved into the mountain told us: 'English shit. " And I replied: 'Every one in his field, which in Roubaix you give us good beating. "

Ocaña, the most singular which has given cycling, running without measure in life and on the road, was the courage cyclist excessive, extreme personality that led him to view cycling, and life, as a matter of all or nothing, as his attempt to overthrow the tyrant Merckx at all costs, in its interpretation of cycling as a relentless struggle. Offensive endlessly until the final defeat.
Merckx "To win is to attack all the time and make the race hard.
In the 1971 Tour de Ocaña was about to end Merckx.
Thursday was held July 8 Stage 11, Grenoble - Orcières Merlette, 134 miles. Ocaña previous days had been tested to Merckx in the Puy de Dôme and the port of lading and had seen the Belgian wavered. Merlette Orcières road was under Kas of the block to go from the start. Source attacked from Grenoble. Merckx left without a team, but he too was fine and stayed in the port of Laffrey, where Ocana had gone alone. Ocaña arrived alone at the top of Orcières Merlette with 8.42m ahead of Eddy Merckx. It was a heroic escape, under an incandescent sun. It was the first defeat of the Belgian, who, however, refused to surrender and charged with the peloton behind him fought until the end. Ocaña said years later: "Eddy Merckx was far superior to all and was, therefore, be attacked in a very hard, as in Orcières Merlette, a top finish. That's why I chose the Alps to the Pyrenees. In the Pyrenees all cols were located far from arrivals, which was more difficult to establish significant differences. If there was an arrival in the Pyrenees Luz Ardiden, for example, things have changed. "

But Merckx never gave up. Wounded, dying, as the bulls on the plaza, following the comparison was even more dangerous. Attacked in the long decline Orcières Merlette Marseille. He attacked in the Pyrenees. On the descent of the Col de Mente, turned into a stream of water and mud by a hail storm that erupts, suddenly, Ocaña outrageous attempts to keep pace of Merckx and falls in a curve. When would be lifted, Zoet Emelk that comes thrown, punches him in the back. Media

Ocaña Spain waiting for the Portillon, the next port after lying, the place where the family settled Ocaña just migrate from Priego. The storm has left its place in the sun. Banners. Ocaña embolden labeled on the road. But Ocaña flying in a helicopter to a hospital in St. Gaudens. When they saw it coming Ocaña, in the Portillon, a few fanatics, with the transistor in his ear, took it to Merckx. They spit, cursed him, threw stones ...
He later told the writer Christian Laborde Ocaña, an ardent admirer: "I said it Anquetil made the mistake of wanting to continue to Merckx. And I replied: 'But Jacques, I did not follow him, could not stop, I had no brakes ... " Nobody could stop, starting with Merckx himself and everyone who beat me when I was dropped. This was no rain! With rain we lose, we know how to dry the rim with short, straight braking. But that afternoon the mind was the mud, the clay was passed through the curve like a stream, there could not use the brakes. "

The goal, Merckx refused to wear the yellow jersey." No, not mine . This tour I've lost, I have nothing to do, I'm going home. "Next day he went in the direction to Superbagnères without getting the yellow jersey. "I would rather be second after a tough battle to win in these conditions. It will be a tainted victory forever."
In 1972 Eddy Merckx won his fourth consecutive Tour. Ocaña out with bronchitis, a cough that followed him since March. He finished with fever, coughing blood. The doctors did give in Alpes.Ocaña finally won the Tour in 1973, but failed to beat Merckx, who did not play that year, the Grande Boucle. Had chosen to run the Tour to have the three largest in its history. Ocaña committed suicide in 1994.


Alpine resort of Les Orres (1973)
After the first stage, the broker Cuenca wearing the yellow jersey when he went to face the eighth stage
a terrible journey between Méribel-les-Allues and Les Orres,
with Madeleine, Telegraph, Galibier and Izoard
final and in the ascent to Les Orres.
Thévenet rivals were expected and primarily source.
La Madeleine got to train, but in the Telegraph José Manuel Fuente began to launch attacks and repeated short: only
Thévenet Ocaña and resist him;
Zoetemelk bind at times but manages to get stuck again.
At the base of the Galibier, Zoetemelk head again reaches
with Pedro Torres, Lopez Lane and Ovion. A 6 km. the top of the alpine giants, Power attack again and this time only in his company is Ocaña. Source
strikes ... a ... two .. three ... twenty times ... But Ocaña is willing to die on the bike, rather than let go of Source. Seeing that it will not be able to Cuenca,
the "Tarangu" is on your wheel without further relays.
Before Izoard climb, the advantage of the two English is 1 '30 "on Thévenet, and Mariano López Martínez Carril. A 6' 30" circulated the first group of firing completely disintegrated. At the top Ocaña
leads French in 4 '15 "and the first group en 10' 50". A 30 km de meta, Fuente pincha y Ocaña se dirige en solitario hacia la meta. Llega a dejar a Fuente a 2', pero un desfallecimiento en los últimos kilómetros, reduce la diferencia a 58". A 7' llegaron Thévenet y Martínez, Perin a 13',el resto a más de 20'. El coche escoba llegó a más de una hora.
Al ver a los periodistas Ocaña dijo: "Dejadme, estoy cansado, ya lo veis. Nunca había sufrido tanto sobre una bicicleta".

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Eddy Merckx

Nada hacía suponer, cuando la figura de Eddy Merckx apareció entre los ciclistas a mateurs, que había surgido la figura más grande del ciclismo until then. He had above
TES family activity, and stronger support, was a desire for victory beyond the ordinary. According to its main rival, Luis Ocaña: Eddy was not enough to win one day ... I wanted to do the next day ... and the next day too.
Thus, the first flash was seen on September 5, 1964, in Sallanches, in the amateur world championship. They all hoped to see win the Italian Felice Gimondi promise, but had to content with a virtually unknown 19: Eddy Merckx.
In 1965 he became professional, entering the team which included Rik Van Looy. In the 1969 Tour was clear that Merckx was a phenomenon of cycling. But this year there was a terrible accident that led to the death of his coach Wambst, and he, to be near her.

In 1970 Paris-Roubaix runs against the biggest winner of that race of all time: Roger de Vlaeminck. At first, Merckx is not fit and was thinking of leaving. It binds to a seven-man breakaway. Click on the worst moment, and then unleashes the most ferocious persecution of cycling history imposed for more than five minutes.
In the 1971 Tour would be facing the risk only rival at this stage of his physical peak: English Luis Ocaña. Ocaña remembered him well: He had a horror of a certain defeatist mentality that prevailed in the bunch. Resignation so revolted me. Merckx thought could be beaten in the Tour, especially in the high mountains.
For the 1971 Tour, Merckx wore down Ocaña in promotions with fast transmission ratios 42X16. In the Puy de Dome, Merckx hesitates and lets out a few seconds for his rivals. In Stage d'Orcieres Merlette is defeated at Ocaña and loses about nine minutes. At the end of this stage Merckx explained, I was told I was doing a lot but I did not listen to anyone. The simple truth is, I'm paying four years of continuous efforts.
But when all the Tour was already set, winning it Merckx finished brilliantly on the stage of Col de Mente. Ocaña, victim of a fall, you should leave this great trip.

The 1972 Tour de Ocaña defeats a worn, and by 1973, decided not to participate in the Tour de France, who easily won the English in their full physical. Merckx argued a very large calendar and much lamented at the time that this match is not defined there. Some judged that had eluded consciousness Merckx confrontation. In 1972 Eddy Merckx
prepares to break the hour record. Like Ritter in 1968 choose the Velodrome in Mexico at 2240 m altitude. Trains in the garage of his home with a simulator and a mixture of air he called Mexican, and despite the poor preparation, leads the record of the time at 49.431 km. Finally in 1974
his fifth Tour win, equaling the record of Anquetil, and his fifth Giro, matching Coppi and Binda.
In 1975 Thévenet faces, and for the first time, ranks second on the podium of the Tour. Has ceased to be the strongest and recognize it, but in 1976 achieved his seventh victory in the Milan-San Remo, a record unmatched to date.
In total he won 525 races throughout his splendid record of 1,800 in which it participated. After to have achieved it all, a May 18, 1978 said goodbye to professional cycling. Merckx star comes off slowly and Hinault. Currently, among other investments, Eddy Merckx bicycle factory run a bearing his name.

Merckx MOURENX
Luchon stage left. Merckx was the leader after winning the Ballon d'Alsace stages, the time trial in Divonne-les-Bains and ending in Digne. It had an 8 '21 "on Roger Pingeon, recent winner of the Vuelta, 9' 29" on Gimondi and 12 '46 "on Poulidor. Merckx was also the leader of the points classification, the mountains and combined. It was the queen stage of this year. Five mountain passes in 214 km: Peyresourde at km 13, at 44 Aspin, Tourmalet in 74, Soulor at 130 and Aubisque at 140. From the top of the latter, there were still 74 km to the finish flat Mourenx. The ascent to the Peyresourde unfolds peacefully. Galera is the first to pass the summit with a few seconds ahead of Bellone, DANCELLI and Merckx. Even then there are regrouping in the Aspin, the situation is very similar. The ascent of the Tourmalet in the bunch clustered. Head is formed in a group of 14 runners and the top pass Merckx first, followed by Vandenbossche. A 5 "passed Zimmerman, Poulidor and Gutty, a 10" Bayssiere, Theillière, Pingeon and Gandarias. Obsessed with avoiding a possible fall caused by the decrease in group launches solo Merckx to Luz-Saint-Sauveur. In Algiers, the advantage is 1 'on Pingeon, Poulidor, Bayssière, Theillière, Zimmerman and Vandenbossche; Gimondi is already at 4'. Despite the enormous distance that remained to target (140 km) Merckx remains alone and in the foothills of Aubisque his lead has increased to 3 '30. "Aubisque In the transition, and are 7'. 35 km from Mourenx reaches 7 '30 ", although it is faint. At the finish line, Merckx wins stage with a lead of about 8 'on the group, led by DANCELLI. Since then became known as Eddy Merckx "The Cannibal." And he suggested that Mourenx be renamed "Mourenckx"

MERCKX THE TUBULAR
Tour of Flanders, April 6, 1975. In the spring of 1975, Eddy Merckx was racing. Since the beginning of the season had won the Giro of Sardinia, Milan-San Remo, Amstel Gold Race (then disputed sooner), and Catalan Week. And Merckx was because last year his season had not fully satisfied; clear who had won the Tour, Giro and World Championship but its share in the s classic was not the usual. So at the start of the Tour of Flanders had told his grandfather: "Maybe there will be 10 'between the victor and the peloton, but the difference is great." Of course, Eddy could not think of a winner but him. The Kwaremont is one of the "walls" or "bergs" that dot the route of the classical flamenco. The distance to target was 104 km. But that's where Merckx launched an irresistible attack. Frans Verbeek only got speed enough to put his wheel. Verbeek was a good runner classic, but failed to win too. Between 1965 and 1976 came second in fifteen times five of them behind Merckx, but also won 2 Het Volk, Fleche Wallonne and 1 1 Belgian championship (this time in front of "Cannibal"). Verbeek says: "I tried to give relay from time to time. He did what he could, but could not much ... I do not talk much, with Eddy not talk much, and he asked nothing. After 10 km. I realized I was getting to finish well, but I do not know if I could stay with him. " Behind, Maertens, and Demeyer Pollentier tried to give chase. In Kruisberg, the difference from a squad of 31 runners was 45 "after 35 km of game there were only 15; in Varenberg, 65 km to go, 9. It was then that the differences increased. Verbeek account: "In the Gramont, I saw nothing I thought I had something in his eyes and called my director to ask for a handkerchief ... but there was nothing I could not see because it was cast. Bosberg In the last climb I was afraid to stay, was very bad ... I think Merckx had compassion and was retained to keep me. " But compassion has its limits and 5 km to go, Merckx attacked to come alone. Verbeek finished 30 "later and Demeyer, third, 5 '2". Verbeeek states: "... I am happy for this second place. He was second behind a great Merckx was rolling ... provided with two teeth less than me. I've seen most of all its tubular rear: A Clément. "