Spanish racing pioneer Bernardo Ruiz has passed away, leaving a lasting impact on the global racing community.
Bernardo Ruiz, Spanish Cycling Pioneer, Passes Away at 100
Last week, Bernardo Ruiz, a Spanish cycling pioneer, passed away at the age of 100. Ruiz was one of the very last living links to the 1940s and 1950s professional racing scene, a time when bike racing was an incredibly chancy affair due to the lack of amateur teams, fixed wages, racing licences, and limited public transport.
Born in Orihuela, Spain, Ruiz's cycling career began humbly. His first bike was a French-made Alcyon, purchased after his parents needed a quick transport fix for their black market business when their donkey was killed in a traffic accident. This bike would later become his weapon of choice for his professional career.
Ruiz's talent for bike racing was evident early on, as he won a junior regional championship. In 1945, he outwitted the top favorites to secure a victory in the Volta a Catalunya, a race that was considered more important than the Vuelta a España at the time.
Ruiz's career was marked by many firsts. He was Spain's first ever winner of two Tour de France stages in a single year (1951), its first ever Tour de France podium finisher (1952), the first Spanish stage winner in the Giro d'Italia, and the first to complete all three Grand Tours in a single year (1955).
Despite these accomplishments, Ruiz's days of poverty were definitely behind him by 1952, when he clinched third place overall in the Tour de France. This success allowed him to buy up property in his native Orihuela, claim he had become Spanish sport's first millionaire.
Ruiz was also a top bike handler, crashing only twice in his career. He was an exceptional interviewee, providing insights into the less-known aspects of cycling in Spain during the 1940s and 1950s.
However, Ruiz's career was not without its challenges. Bike racing remained a difficult endeavour, forcing riders to smuggle food and race as far apart from each other to avoid crashing. Ruiz was present for Spain's first ever fielding of a national squad in the Tour de France in 1949, but the team abandoned after five stages.
Despite his success, Ruiz's enmity with fellow cyclist Federico Bahamontes endured for years, even after Ruiz became Bahamontes' sports director.
Ruiz will be remembered as a trailblazer in Spanish cycling, breaking barriers and setting records that stood the test of time. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations of cyclists in Spain and beyond.
