Fabio Parra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Fabio Parra

Parra during the 1989 Vuelta a España
Personal information
Born	(1959-11-22) November 22, 1959 (age 65) Sogamoso, Colombia
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Climbing specialist
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France Young rider classification (1985) 2 individual stages (1985, 1988) Vuelta a España 2 individual stages (1988, 1991) Stage races Vuelta a Colombia (1981, 1992) Clásico RCN (1987)

Fabio Enrique Parra Pinto (born November 22, 1959) is a famous retired Colombian road racing cyclist. He was born in Sogamoso, Boyacá, Colombia. Fabio Parra was known for his amazing climbing skills.

He became a professional cyclist in 1985 and rode until 1992. During his career, he won important stages in major races like the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. He was one of the first Colombian cyclists to achieve great success in Europe.

Fabio Parra was especially good at competing for the overall win in big races. His best achievement was finishing third in the 1988 Tour de France. This was the highest finish for a South American cyclist for 25 years! Another great moment was when he finished second in the 1989 Vuelta a España, missing the win by only 35 seconds.

Fabio has two younger brothers, Humberto Parra Pinto and Iván Parra, who also became professional cyclists. Iván Parra famously won two stages in the 2005 Giro d'Italia.

Fabio Parra's Cycling Journey

Early Success in Colombia

Fabio Parra started his cycling career as an amateur in Colombia. He quickly showed his talent.

• In 1979, he won the "Novatos" classification in the Vuelta a Colombia. This award is for new riders or those racing for the first time.
• He then won the overall title of the Vuelta a Colombia in 1981. This is a very important race in his home country.
• He also finished second in the Clásico RCN in 1981 and 1982.
• In 1984, he competed for Colombia in the individual road race at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Becoming a Professional Cyclist

Fabio Parra turned professional in 1985 with the first Colombian cycling team, Café de Colombia. This was a big step for Colombian cycling.

• In 1985, he won a stage in the 1985 Tour de France. He also won the Young Rider Classification in the same race. This means he was the best young rider in the Tour.
• He finished 8th overall in the 1985 Tour de France and 5th overall in the 1985 Vuelta a España.

Grand Tour Achievements

Fabio Parra was known for his strong performances in the "Grand Tours." These are the three biggest cycling races: the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, and the Vuelta a España.

• In 1987, he finished 6th overall in the 1987 Tour de France.
• His most famous result was finishing 3rd overall in the 1988 Tour de France. He also won a stage in this race.
• In the 1989 Vuelta a España, he finished an impressive 2nd overall. He also won a stage in the 1988 Vuelta a España and the 1991 Vuelta a España.
• He continued to perform well, finishing 5th overall in the 1990 Vuelta a España and 5th overall in the 1991 Vuelta a España.
• In his final professional year, 1992, he won the Vuelta a Colombia again and finished 7th overall in the 1992 Vuelta a España.

Major Race Results

Grand Tour Finishes

This table shows Fabio Parra's overall finishes in the three biggest cycling races, called Grand Tours.

Grand Tour	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992
Vuelta a España	5	8	—	5	2	5	5	7
Giro d'Italia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Tour de France	8	—	6	3	—	13	—	—

See also

In Spanish: Fabio Parra para niños