Ride in Peace Federico Bahamontes

 As someone who has long professed to be something of a climber, it would be remiss of me not to recognize the passing of one of cycling's greatest climbers - Federico Bahamontes.

Legend tells us that during the 1954 Tour de France, Federico Bahamontes finished a major climb so far ahead of his rivals that he stopped for ice cream while waiting for them to catch up.

Bahamontes, nicknamed the Eagle of Toledo for his exceptional climbing ability, passed away August 8th at the age of 95 years; he was the oldest surviving Tour de France champion. He earned the name Eagle of Toledo after his very first Tour de France by finishing 1st in the mountains classification, an honor he would win six more times in the Tour, once in the Giro d'Italia and twice in the Vuelta a Espana. He won the overall title at the Tour de France in 1959 (the first Spanish rider to do so), but competing against, and during the five win reign of the great Jacques Anquetil, Bahamontes could get no closer than 2nd after that lone win.

Bahamontes raced during an era when it was common for top-level road racers to also compete on the track, something rarely seen in more recent years. In addition to multiple stage wins during the grand tours, wins and placings in shorter stage and one day races, Bahamontes won the Six Days of Madrid in 1964 when teamed with Rik Van Steenbergen. As might be expected races in which climbing was a major factor, were favored by Bahamontes - he won the Mont Faron Hill Climb five times (1955, 1957, 1962, 1963 and 1964), the Mont Faron Road Race on two occasions (1962 and 1964), and the Escalada a Montjulic twice (1964 and 1965). 

Federico Bahamontes' spirit will forever soar over the high mountain roads of the world, where ever cyclists turn their faces upward to lofty peaks and passes.