Bernardo Ruiz has passed away. The Spaniard won the 1948 Vuelta a España and was the oldest living winner of a Grand Tour. He lived to be one hundred years old.
Ruiz was born on January 8, 1925, in Orihuela, in the Valencian region. The first major feat of his career came twenty years later: he won the Tour of Catalonia in 1945. His greatest triumph followed in 1948, when he claimed the Vuelta a España title. He also won three stages and the mountains classification in that race. In 1950, Ruiz notched two more stage wins in his home tour, and in 1957 he stood on the final podium again, this time in third place.
Ruiz also enjoyed success outside Spain. In the 1951 Tour de France, he won two stages, and a year later he finished third overall behind Stan Ockers and the unbeatable Fausto Coppi. It was the first time a Spaniard reached the Tour podium. Additionally, his palmarès includes a stage win in the Giro d'Italia: in 1955, he was the best in a stage starting and finishing in Rome.
After retiring in 1958, he briefly worked as a team director for the renowned Faema squad. He had returned to live in Orihuela, where he remained for the rest of his life, passing away at the age of 100.
With the passing of Ruiz, Angelino Soler is now the oldest living winner of a Grand Tour. He won the Vuelta a España in 1961. The Spaniard, born on November 25, 1939, is now 85 years old.
