Bernardo Ruiz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bernardo Ruiz

Ruiz at the 1954 Tour de France
Personal information
Full name	Bernardo Ruiz
Born	(1925-01-08)8 January 1925 Orihuela, Spain
Died	14 August 2025(2025-08-14) (aged 100) Orihuela, Spain
Team information
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France 2 individual stages (1951) Giro d'Italia 1 individual stage (1955) Vuelta a España General classification (1948) Mountains classification (1948) 4 individual stages (1948, 1950) Stage races Volta a Catalunya (1945) One-day races and Classics National Road Race Championship (1946, 1948, 1951)

Bernardo Ruiz Navarrete (born January 8, 1925 – died August 14, 2025) was a famous Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He achieved many firsts for Spain in cycling. He won the overall title and the best climber award at the 1948 Vuelta a España. He was the first Spanish cyclist to win two stages in a single Tour de France (in 1951). The next year, he became the first Spaniard to finish among the top three overall in the Tour de France. He also made history as the first Spaniard to win a stage in the Giro d'Italia in 1955.

Bernardo Ruiz: A Cycling Legend

Early Life and Challenges

Bernardo Ruiz was born in Orihuela, Spain. He grew up in the Valencian Community. His family faced difficulties because of their beliefs during a challenging time in Spain's history. His father struggled to find regular work and had to check in with local authorities often.

To help his family, Bernardo's family milled flour. They transported it to Valencia using a donkey and cart to sell. This was a tough way to make a living.

A Champion's Journey

Bernardo's older brother served in the army during a major war. He was injured during his service. The money he received helped Bernardo buy his first bicycle. This bike replaced the family's donkey, which had died in an accident.

Bernardo's cycling career began almost by accident. As a teenager, he joined a group of riders without knowing they were in a race. He ended up competing! He later won the Valencia regional championships. This success helped ease the difficulties his family had been facing.

First Big Wins

In 1945, at just 20 years old, Bernardo won the Volta a Catalunya. This was Spain's most important bike race at the time. It was his first race outside his home region and helped him become a professional cyclist. He also made his debut in the Vuelta a España that year. He described the experience as "terrifying."

Three years later, in 1948, he won the overall title of the Vuelta a España. He took the lead after another rider had several flat tires. After winning, Bernardo was supposed to receive his trophy from the country's leader. However, he decided to leave instead of waiting for a long football match to finish.

Conquering the Grand Tours

In 1949, Bernardo competed in the Tour de France with the Spanish national team. They faced some challenges from people who had left Spain and had different ideas. Because of this, Bernardo and his teammates left the race early. Spain was not invited back the next year.

However, a Spanish team, including Bernardo, returned in 1951. Bernardo won two stages, which were the first stage wins for Spain since the difficult period in their history. He finished ninth overall. The next year, in the 1952 Tour, Bernardo finished third overall. He said he was careful going down Mont Ventoux because he worried about his tires. This caution cost him some time.

Life After Racing

After he stopped competing, Bernardo became a team manager, known as a directeur sportif. He managed the Faema team. He even managed Federico Bahamontes, even though they had some disagreements in the past. Bernardo once said they "mutually tolerate one another."

His Lasting Impact

Bernardo Ruiz raced with heavy equipment because Spain was facing economic challenges. He is one of the few cyclists to have completed all three major cycling races, known as Grand Tours, in a single season. He did this three times! As of 2020, only two other riders have done it more often. During his career, he rode a total of 21 Grand Tours and completed 12 Grand Tours in a row.

Bernardo is seen as a pioneer for Spanish professional cycling. His international success helped pave the way for other Spanish cyclists, like Federico Bahamontes. This was especially important during a time when Spain was facing economic difficulties.

Bernardo Ruiz turned 100 years old on January 8, 2025. He passed away on August 14, 2025.

Major Achievements

Grand Tour Results Timeline

Grand Tour	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958
/ Vuelta a España	22	13	—	1	NH	4	Not held				14	31	3	26
Giro d'Italia	NH	—	—	—	—	—	—	35	29	38	28	38	55	—
Tour de France	Not held		—	—	DNF	—	9	3	—	18	22	70	24	55

See also

In Spanish: Bernardo Ruiz para niños