2023-08-08 10:19:57
Federico Bahamontes, the first Spaniard to win the Tour de France in 1959, died at the age of 95, the mayor of Toledo announced on Tuesday August 8, where the rider considered one of the best climbers in history was from. .
Published on: 08/08/2023 – 10:19
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« It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Federico Martín Bahamontes, the Eagle of Toledo, a reference in the sport that took the name of our city to the highest said Carlos Velázquez, mayor of Toledo. ” The first Spaniard to win the Tour de France is part of our country’s sporting history, with more than 74 victories to his name “, he added. The city, former Spanish capital before Madrid, has also declared two days of official mourning.
Until the end of his life, Bahamontes maintained great popularity in his country. He became an idol, long before Luis Ocana, Pedro Delgado and Miguel Indurain who succeeded him in the 20th century on the Tour winners and in the hearts of Spanish supporters.
Bahamontes has won eleven mountain stages in the three Grand Tours
Born on July 9, 1928 in Santo Domingo near Toledo, Bahamontes definitely entered the history of cycling on July 18, 1959 by winning the Tour de France. The “Aigle de Tolède”, nickname given by a French journalist, participated in its first Grande Boucle in 1954 and won the mountain classification six times (1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964) in ten participations .
Winner of the Tour of Spain twice (1954 and 1957), Bahamontes remained at the top in his thirties and relaunched his career under the authority of his sporting director Raoul Rémy. During the Anquetil years, “Fede” appeared twice more on the Tour de France podium (2nd in 1963, 3rd in 1964), the race that best suited this rider who loved the scorching temperatures.
An immense climber, Bahamontes won eleven mountain stages in the three Grand Tours (7 in France, 1 in Italy, 3 in Spain). After his retirement, Bahamontes remained involved in cycling as a team manager and then manager of the Vuelta a Toledo. He also ran his own bike shop.
With AFP
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