36:
250:. He bought the bike to replace the family's donkey, which had died in a road accident, as a means of transport. According to Ruiz, he first competed unknowingly in a cycle race as a teenager when he came across a group of riders going in the opposite direction to him, and spontaneously decided to follow them, unaware that they were in competition. He took a breakthrough win at the Valencia regional championships, organised by the Franco regime's sole legal party, the
369:
261:, then Spain's most lucrative bike race, at the age of 20. This was his first race outside of the Valencian region, and helped to launch his professional career. That year he also made his debut in the Vuelta a EspaƱa, where he came 23rd out of 26 finishers. He described the experience of riding the race as "terrifying". Three years later he took the overall classification in the race, taking the lead from
281:. As a result of the withdrawal, Spain was not invited the following year; a team was sent in 1951, including Ruiz. He took two stage wins, the first for Spain since the Civil War, and finished ninth overall. In the following year's Tour, Ruiz finished third in the general classification behind
276:
In 1949, Ruiz competed in the Tour de France as part of the Spain national team. After they received abuse from
Spanish Republican exiles, Ruiz and his teammates withdrew from the race on the fifth stage and left to compete in the
636:
211:
for their political views, with his father being banned from formal employment and forced to report to the local police station every two weeks. Being unable to find work, the family
629:
322:
in a single season, which he did on three occasions. As of 2020 only two other riders have accomplished this more than three times. During his career he rode a total of 21
622:
645:
1392:
293:, which lost him four minutes to Coppi and Ockers - Ruiz stated that he was careful in his descent because he was worried about his tyres overheating.
289:. Ruiz later said he could not have overhauled Coppi for the win, but that he had lost out on being runner-up due to his cautious descending down
273:, however upon learning that he would have to wait three hours for a football match to be completed before the presentation, he elected to leave.
1402:
332:
has described him as "an accidental pioneer for post-Civil War
Spanish professional cycling", through his international success at a time when
1377:
318:
Ruiz had to race with heavy equipment because Spain was going through a depression. Ruiz is one of the few riders to complete all three
265:
after the latter lost time due to several punctures. Upon completion of the race, Ruiz was supposed to receive the winner's trophy from
542:
200:
333:
303:
1382:
1407:
306:
team, where he managed
Bahamontes, despite the pair having previously engaged in fistfights: Ruiz stated ahead of the
242:
Ruiz was the only survivor, although injured, by a
Russian grenade thrown at his machine gun post, and received a
1372:
1387:
740:
231:
570:
270:
1397:
227:
20:
254:, whilst still a teenager. As a result of his success, the discrimination against his family ended.
184:
614:
600:
1337:
1328:
1319:
1310:
1306:
1302:
1293:
1284:
1275:
1266:
1257:
1248:
1239:
1230:
1221:
1212:
1203:
1194:
1185:
1176:
1172:
1168:
1159:
1150:
1141:
1132:
1123:
1114:
1110:
1101:
1092:
1088:
1084:
1075:
1066:
1057:
1048:
1039:
1030:
1021:
1012:
1003:
994:
985:
976:
967:
958:
949:
940:
931:
922:
913:
904:
895:
886:
877:
868:
859:
850:
841:
832:
823:
814:
805:
796:
787:
778:
769:
760:
751:
736:
721:
712:
703:
694:
679:
675:
660:
656:
504:
307:
1367:
1043:
144:
1297:
538:
477:
445:
380:
329:
172:
148:
114:
926:
908:
1362:
1189:
1052:
323:
319:
208:
683:
8:
495:
468:
416:
337:
192:
164:
160:
980:
944:
609:
1341:
1314:
1216:
989:
707:
575:
547:
262:
140:
935:
698:
362:
155:. He went on to become the first Spaniard to take two wins in a single edition of the
152:
1070:
773:
354:
298:
258:
251:
204:
1163:
791:
1261:
1243:
1207:
1105:
998:
899:
854:
836:
827:
716:
422:
278:
266:
196:
168:
1016:
398:
1323:
1225:
1007:
962:
953:
800:
782:
764:
334:
Spain was experiencing economic hardship during the early years of the Franco era
212:
1154:
1279:
971:
872:
845:
809:
664:
156:
1034:
1356:
1198:
1180:
1145:
1127:
1096:
1079:
1061:
1025:
881:
437:
223:
1118:
890:
1288:
1252:
1234:
454:
290:
282:
246:
which enabled him to lend Ruiz the money to pay for his first bicycle, an
1136:
917:
863:
450:
286:
243:
433:
818:
755:
35:
1332:
1270:
485:
481:
216:
188:
71:
644:
387:
402:
391:
376:
247:
368:
426:
75:
163:, the first to finish on the overall podium at the Tour
139:(born 8 January 1925) is a Spanish former professional
215:flour and transported it with a donkey and cart to
199:in Spain during his youth. After the defeat of the
610:Official Tour de France results for Bernardo Ruiz
226:, a Spanish Army unit which fought alongside the
222:One of Ruiz's older brothers was forced into the
1354:
543:"Bernardo Ruiz: The Vuelta's Accidental Pioneer"
646:Vuelta a EspaƱa general classification winners
326:, and completed 12 Grand Tours consecutively.
630:
296:After retiring from competition, he became a
537:
207:, his family suffered discrimination in the
1393:Sportspeople from the Province of Alicante
637:
623:
34:
533:
531:
529:
527:
525:
523:
521:
310:that "we mutually tolerate one another".
336:, paving the way for countrymen such as
1355:
568:
518:
167:, and the first to win a stage of the
1403:Cyclists from the Valencian Community
618:
1378:Spanish Tour de France stage winners
19:For the documentary filmmaker, see
13:
569:Pereda, Marcus (5 November 2020).
14:
1419:
594:
195:: he himself was a member of the
367:
343:
562:
269:in a ceremony at the then-new
1:
511:
372:Winner overall classification
178:
7:
10:
1424:
449:Classification (tied with
18:
1408:Vuelta a Asturias winners
652:
313:
271:Santiago BernabƩu Stadium
237:
130:
125:
120:
110:
102:
94:
86:
81:
55:
47:
42:
33:
21:Bernardo Ruiz (filmmaker)
571:"The Godforsaken Vuelta"
1383:Vuelta a EspaƱa winners
137:Bernardo Ruiz Navarrete
539:Fotheringham, Alasdair
187:-supporting family in
1373:Spanish male cyclists
446:King of the Mountains
330:Alasdair Fotheringham
257:In 1945 Ruiz won the
183:Ruiz was born into a
1388:People from Orihuela
1190:Alexander Vinokourov
308:1960 Vuelta a EspaƱa
302:, including for the
149:climbers competition
126:1948 Vuelta a EspaƱa
43:Personal information
541:(23 October 2020).
338:Federico Bahamontes
193:Valencian Community
191:and grew up in the
30:
1398:Directeur sportifs
1217:Alejandro Valverde
990:Giovanni Battaglin
927:JosƩ Manuel Fuente
909:JosƩ Manuel Fuente
708:Dalmacio Langarica
263:Dalmacio Langarica
201:Republican faction
165:the following year
141:road bicycle racer
26:
1350:
1349:
1071:Marco Giovannetti
684:JuliƔn Berrendero
671:Spanish Civil War
355:Volta a Catalunya
299:directeur sportif
259:Volta a Catalunya
252:FET y de las JONS
205:Spanish Civil War
134:
133:
87:Current team
1415:
1262:Alberto Contador
1244:Alberto Contador
1208:Alberto Contador
1106:Laurent Jalabert
999:Marino Lejarreta
981:Faustino Ruperez
945:JosƩ Pesarrodona
900:Ferdinand Bracke
855:Francisco Gabica
837:Raymond Poulidor
828:Jacques Anquetil
741:Emilio RodrĆguez
717:Edward Van Dijck
639:
632:
625:
616:
615:
605:Cycling Archives
588:
587:
585:
583:
566:
560:
559:
557:
555:
535:
432:1st, Stage 21, (
423:Clermont-Ferrand
421:1st, Stage 10, (
397:1st, Stage 12, (
371:
279:Volta a Portugal
267:Francisco Franco
197:pioneer movement
82:Team information
69:
65:
63:
38:
31:
29:
25:
1423:
1422:
1418:
1417:
1416:
1414:
1413:
1412:
1353:
1352:
1351:
1346:
1324:Remco Evenepoel
1226:Vincenzo Nibali
1008:Bernard Hinault
963:Bernard Hinault
954:Freddy Maertens
936:AgustĆn Tamames
801:Frans De Mulder
783:Jean Stablinski
765:Angelo Conterno
699:Delio RodrĆguez
648:
643:
597:
592:
591:
581:
579:
567:
563:
553:
551:
536:
519:
514:
509:
505:Vuelta a EspaƱa
494:70th, Overall,
476:1st, Stage 10,
386:1st, Stage 4, (
375:1st, Stage 1, (
363:Vuelta a EspaƱa
346:
316:
240:
185:Communist Party
181:
153:Vuelta a EspaƱa
111:Rider type
70:
67:
61:
59:
27:
24:
17:
16:Spanish cyclist
12:
11:
5:
1421:
1411:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1348:
1347:
1345:
1344:
1335:
1326:
1317:
1300:
1291:
1282:
1280:Nairo Quintana
1273:
1264:
1255:
1246:
1237:
1228:
1219:
1210:
1201:
1192:
1183:
1166:
1164:Aitor GonzƔlez
1157:
1148:
1139:
1130:
1121:
1108:
1099:
1082:
1073:
1064:
1055:
1046:
1037:
1028:
1019:
1010:
1001:
992:
983:
974:
972:Joop Zoetemelk
965:
956:
947:
938:
929:
920:
911:
902:
893:
884:
875:
873:Felice Gimondi
866:
857:
848:
846:Rolf Wolfshohl
839:
830:
821:
812:
810:Angelino Soler
803:
794:
792:Antonio SuƔrez
785:
776:
767:
758:
749:
743:
734:
728:
719:
710:
701:
692:
686:
673:
667:
665:Gustaaf Deloor
653:
650:
649:
642:
641:
634:
627:
619:
613:
612:
607:
596:
595:External links
593:
590:
589:
561:
516:
515:
513:
510:
508:
507:
503:3rd, Overall,
501:
498:
496:Tour de France
492:
489:
474:
471:
469:Tour de France
467:3rd, Overall,
465:
461:
460:
459:
458:
441:
430:
417:Tour de France
415:9th, Overall,
413:
409:
408:
407:
406:
395:
384:
373:
360:
357:
353:1st, Overall,
351:
347:
345:
342:
315:
312:
239:
236:
180:
177:
157:Tour de France
132:
131:
128:
127:
123:
122:
118:
117:
112:
108:
107:
104:
100:
99:
96:
92:
91:
88:
84:
83:
79:
78:
66:8 January 1925
57:
53:
52:
49:
48:Full name
45:
44:
40:
39:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1420:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1368:Living people
1366:
1364:
1361:
1360:
1358:
1343:
1342:Primož RogliÄ
1339:
1336:
1334:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1315:Primož RogliÄ
1312:
1308:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1205:
1202:
1200:
1199:Denis Menchov
1196:
1193:
1191:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1181:Roberto Heras
1178:
1174:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1146:Roberto Heras
1143:
1140:
1138:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1128:Abraham Olano
1125:
1122:
1120:
1116:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1097:Tony Rominger
1094:
1090:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1080:Melcior Mauri
1077:
1074:
1072:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1062:Pedro Delgado
1059:
1056:
1054:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1026:Pedro Delgado
1023:
1020:
1018:
1017:Ćric Caritoux
1014:
1011:
1009:
1005:
1002:
1000:
996:
993:
991:
987:
984:
982:
978:
975:
973:
969:
966:
964:
960:
957:
955:
951:
948:
946:
942:
939:
937:
933:
930:
928:
924:
921:
919:
915:
912:
910:
906:
903:
901:
897:
894:
892:
888:
885:
883:
882:Roger Pingeon
879:
876:
874:
870:
867:
865:
861:
858:
856:
852:
849:
847:
843:
840:
838:
834:
831:
829:
825:
822:
820:
816:
813:
811:
807:
804:
802:
798:
795:
793:
789:
786:
784:
780:
777:
775:
771:
768:
766:
762:
759:
757:
753:
750:
748:
747:Race not held
744:
742:
738:
735:
733:
732:Race not held
729:
727:
726:Bernardo Ruiz
723:
720:
718:
714:
711:
709:
705:
702:
700:
696:
693:
691:
687:
685:
681:
677:
674:
672:
668:
666:
662:
658:
655:
654:
651:
647:
640:
635:
633:
628:
626:
621:
620:
617:
611:
608:
606:
602:
601:Bernardo Ruiz
599:
598:
578:
577:
572:
565:
550:
549:
544:
540:
534:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
517:
506:
502:
499:
497:
493:
490:
487:
483:
479:
478:Giro d'Italia
475:
472:
470:
466:
463:
462:
456:
452:
448:
447:
442:
439:
438:Aix-les-Bains
435:
431:
428:
424:
420:
419:
418:
414:
411:
410:
404:
400:
399:San SebastiƔn
396:
393:
389:
385:
382:
378:
374:
370:
366:
365:
364:
361:
358:
356:
352:
349:
348:
344:Major results
341:
339:
335:
331:
327:
325:
321:
311:
309:
305:
301:
300:
294:
292:
288:
284:
280:
274:
272:
268:
264:
260:
255:
253:
249:
245:
235:
233:
232:Eastern Front
229:
225:
224:Blue Division
220:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
176:
174:
170:
169:Giro d'Italia
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
129:
124:
119:
116:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
85:
80:
77:
73:
68:(age 99)
58:
54:
51:Bernardo Ruiz
50:
46:
41:
37:
32:
28:Bernardo Ruiz
22:
1289:Chris Froome
1253:Chris Horner
1235:Chris Froome
1155:Ćngel Casero
1044:Luis Herrera
774:JesĆŗs LoroƱo
746:
731:
725:
690:World War II
689:
670:
604:
580:. Retrieved
574:
564:
552:. Retrieved
546:
455:Fausto Coppi
444:
328:
317:
297:
295:
291:Mont Ventoux
283:Fausto Coppi
275:
256:
241:
221:
209:White Terror
182:
151:at the 1948
143:who won the
136:
135:
1363:1925 births
1298:Simon Yates
1137:Jan Ullrich
1035:Ćlvaro Pino
918:Eddy Merckx
864:Jan Janssen
451:Hugo Koblet
324:Grand Tours
320:Grand Tours
287:Stan Ockers
244:war pension
228:German Army
115:All-rounder
1357:Categories
1119:Alex ZĆ¼lle
1053:Sean Kelly
891:Luis OcaƱa
819:Rudi Altig
756:Jean Dotto
582:8 November
554:2 November
512:References
179:Early life
121:Major wins
95:Discipline
62:1925-01-08
1333:Sepp Kuss
1271:Fabio Aru
440:, 201 km)
429:, 216 km)
405:, 259 km)
394:, 285 km)
219:to sell.
745:1951ā54
688:1943ā44
669:1937ā40
486:Frascati
482:Frascati
434:BrianƧon
379:, 14 km
217:Valencia
189:Orihuela
72:Orihuela
576:Rouleur
548:Rouleur
388:Granada
230:on the
203:in the
145:overall
90:Retired
403:Bilbao
392:Murcia
377:Madrid
314:Legacy
248:Alcyon
238:Career
213:milled
730:1949
443:3rd,
427:Brive
304:Faema
106:Rider
76:Spain
1338:2024
1329:2023
1320:2022
1303:2019
1294:2018
1285:2017
1276:2016
1267:2015
1258:2014
1249:2013
1240:2012
1231:2011
1222:2010
1213:2009
1204:2008
1195:2007
1186:2006
1169:2003
1160:2002
1151:2001
1142:2000
1133:1999
1124:1998
1111:1996
1102:1995
1085:1992
1076:1991
1067:1990
1058:1989
1049:1988
1040:1987
1031:1986
1022:1985
1013:1984
1004:1983
995:1982
986:1981
977:1980
968:1979
959:1978
950:1977
941:1976
932:1975
923:1974
914:1973
905:1972
896:1971
887:1970
878:1969
869:1968
860:1967
851:1966
842:1965
833:1964
824:1963
815:1962
806:1961
797:1960
788:1959
779:1958
770:1957
761:1956
752:1955
737:1950
722:1948
713:1947
704:1946
695:1945
676:1941
657:1935
584:2020
556:2020
500:1957
491:1956
473:1955
464:1952
453:and
412:1951
359:1948
350:1945
285:and
173:1955
161:1951
147:and
103:Role
98:Road
56:Born
603:at
381:ITT
234:.
175:.
171:in
159:in
1359::
1340::
1331::
1322::
1313::
1311:21
1307:20
1296::
1287::
1278::
1269::
1260::
1251::
1242::
1233::
1224::
1215::
1206::
1197::
1188::
1179::
1177:05
1173:04
1162::
1153::
1144::
1135::
1126::
1117::
1115:97
1104::
1095::
1093:94
1089:93
1078::
1069::
1060::
1051::
1042::
1033::
1024::
1015::
1006::
997::
988::
979::
970::
961::
952::
943::
934::
925::
916::
907::
898::
889::
880::
871::
862::
853::
844::
835::
826::
817::
808::
799::
790::
781::
772::
763::
754::
739::
724::
715::
706::
697::
682::
680:42
663::
661:36
573:.
545:.
520:^
484:-
436:-
425:-
401:-
390:-
340:.
74:,
64:)
1309:ā
1305:ā
1175:ā
1171:ā
1113:ā
1091:ā
1087:ā
678:ā
659:ā
638:e
631:t
624:v
586:.
558:.
488:)
480:(
457:)
383:)
60:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.