Bernardo Ruiz, first Spaniard to podium at the Tour de France and 1948 Vuelta winner, dies aged 100

Spanish cycling is in mourning following the passing of one of its greatest pioneers. Bernardo Ruiz, the first Spaniard to stand on the podium of the Tour de France, has died at the age of 100. A true icon of post-war cycling, Ruiz was not only a prolific winner but a trailblazer who helped place Spanish cycling on the international stage in the 1940s and 1950s.

Born in Orihuela in 1925, Ruiz turned professional at the age of 19 and quickly established himself as a force in the peloton. By 1948, aged just 23, he won the Vuelta a España, taking not only the general classification but also the mountains jersey — a rare and dominant double that foreshadowed the breadth of his talents.

But it was in 1952 that Ruiz etched his name into cycling’s broader history. Riding in an era dominated by Fausto Coppi, Ruiz battled through the high mountains and long time trials to secure third place overall at the Tour de France — becoming the first Spaniard to ever reach the final podium in Paris.

His performance that year was built on consistency and courage. He finished second on stage 2 to Le Mans, second again in Sestrières on stage 11 in the high Alps, and maintained strong form deep into the third week — including a top-10 finish in the penultimate day’s time trial in Vichy. He ultimately stood on the podium behind Coppi and Belgian great Stan Ockers.

Ruiz’s Grand Tour résumé is among the most impressive of his generation. In addition to his 1948 Vuelta triumph, he claimed:

4 Vuelta a España stage wins (1948–1950)

2 Tour de France stage wins (1951)

1 Giro d’Italia stage win (1955)

His career spanned 22 Grand Tour appearances, yielding 38 professional victories in total — a remarkable tally in an era of brutal racing conditions and limited support.

Beyond the Grand Tours, Ruiz was a dominant force in the Spanish calendar. Among his many victories:

Volta a Catalunya (1945)

Tour of Burgos (1947)

Clásica a los Puertos (1950 & 1951)

Tour of Castile (1951)

Barcelona–Pamplona (1951)

Levante Tour (1957)

Plus stage wins in several of those events across multiple years

After a career that helped define Spanish cycling in the post-war era, Ruiz rode his final season in 1958, making one last appearance at both the Vuelta and Tour de France — returning to the race where he had made history six years earlier.

Though his name may not be as widely recognized among modern fans as some of his contemporaries, Bernardo Ruiz’s legacy is profound. He paved the way for generations of Spanish riders — from Bahamontes and Ocaña to Induráin and beyond — proving that riders from Spain could not only compete but excel on cycling's grandest stages.

A century after his birth, and nearly 70 years after his Tour de France podium, Ruiz remains a towering figure in the history of Spanish cycling and the wider sport as a whole.

Rest in peace, campeón.