Pioneer and striking figure of Spanish cycling of the post-war period, Bernardo Ruiz died this Thursday. He had notably finished 3rd in the 1952 Tour de France.
This is a very sad news that the Spanish media announced this Thursday, with the disappearance of Bernardo Ruiz, a true figure of cycling in his country and more broadly, in his discipline. Inevitably little known to the younger generations, the one who had celebrated his hundred years on January 8, nevertheless marked his imprint the history of Spanish cycling by becoming the first to finish on the podium of the Tour de France 1952, with a third place.
The announcement of his disappearance was relayed by Mark
In particular, which recalled the most beautiful moments of the career of the native of Orihuela, in the province of Alicante. With for example this first coup and this coronation on the Vuelta 1948. Dominator in the mountains and present in the time trial, Bernardo Ruiz entered the history of his discipline that year.
In 1951, he became the first Spaniard to win two stages on the Tour de France. He ranked ninth during this edition. A year later, there was this third place at the end of the large 1952 loop. Overlapping by Fausto Coppi, winner with almost thirty-five minutes ahead of him, Ruiz was however not so far from the Place de Dauphin, with six minutes and twenty-one seconds behind the Belgian Stan Ockers.
Bernardo Ruiz, the tributes are numerous
He has long held the runner’s record that chained and finished the three times the three major towers as many times. Twelve times between 1954 and 1958. This performance was only beaten in 2015 by the Australian Adam Hansen. During his career, he won three times the title of Spanish Cycling Road.
In Spain, tributes were numerous at the announcement of the death of Bernardo Ruiz. Alejandro Velverde published a message on his social networks to present his condolences to his family. The official account of the Vuelta also reacted by paying tribute to “a myth of Spanish cycling”.
