Federico Bahamontes
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Bahamontes in 1962
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Alejandro Martín Bahamontes |
| Nickname | The Eagle of Toledo |
| Born |
9 July 1928 Santo Domingo-Caudilla, Castile-La Mancha, Spain |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Retired |
| Rider type | Climber |
| Professional team(s) | |
| 1953–1954 | Splendid |
| 1955 | Terrot–Hutchinson |
| 1956 | Girardengo–ICEP |
| 1957 | Mobylette |
| 1958 | Faema–Guerra |
| 1959 | Tricofilina–Coppi/Kas |
| 1960 | Faema |
| 1961 | VOV |
| 1962–1965 | Margnat–Paloma-Inuri |
| Major wins | |
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Federico Martín Bahamontes (pronounced: [feðeˈɾiko marˈtin βa.a.ˈmon.tes]; born 9 July 1928) is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist. Born as Alejandro Martín Bahamontes. He is the first cyclist to complete a "career triple" in winning the "King of the Mountains" classification in all three Grand Tours.
Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla (Toledo). His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees. There Julian Martín lived by breaking rocks before opening a fruit and vegetable stall: "My father was neither a red nor a fascist - he simply didn't like the idea of people coming along and demanding he give away olives, butter and chickens into which he had put too much work, so we left Toledo," Bahamontes said.
Bahamontes worked as a delivery boy. His hero and eventually his friend was Julián Berrendero, winner of the Vuelta a España in 1941 and 1942 and later selector of national teams.
He began racing in the late 1940s, winning his first race, wearing a baseball shirt on 18 July 1947. It was 12 years to the day before his first Tour de France triumph.
He took the mountains jersey and won the first stage of the 1953 Tour of Asturias at 23, while still not a full professional. The Spanish cycling federation picked him for the 1954 Tour de France the following year and his instructions from the national coach was "Try to win it." He didn't win but he did win the mountains competition and finish 25th.
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