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.
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.
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.
