Luis Ocana

Luis Ocaña was a Spanish-French road bicycle racer who won the 1973 Tour de France and the 1970 Vuelta a España. He was one of the few riders who challenged the dominance of Eddy Merckx in the early 1970s. He was known for his aggressive and courageous riding style, as well as his exceptional climbing and time trialing abilities. Ocaña was born in Priego, Cuenca, Spain but his family moved to Mont-de-Marsan, Landes, France in 1957. He started racing with a local club and turned professional in 1968 with the Spanish Fagor team. He became Spanish champion that year and finished second in the Vuelta a España in 1969. He joined the French Bic team in 1970 and won his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España, beating Agustín Tamames by 1:18. In the 1970 Tour de France, Ocaña won the stage to Puy-de-Dôme and finished 31st overall. The following year, he was in great form and challenged Merckx for the yellow jersey. He won the eighth stage with a solo attack and took the lead on the eleventh stage with a stunning performance on the mountainous stage to Orcières-Merlette, where he gained more than eight minutes on Merckx. However, his hopes of winning the Tour were dashed on the fourteenth stage, when he crashed on a wet descent of the Col de Menté and had to abandon the race with injuries. Ocaña recovered from his crash and won the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré for the second time in 1972. He also won two stages and finished third in the Vuelta a España. In the 1972 Tour de France, he was again one of Merckx's main rivals, but he suffered from bronchitis and lost time on several stages. He managed to win two stages, including the final time trial in Paris, and finished fourth overall. In 1973, Ocaña achieved his greatest victory when he won the Tour de France with a dominant performance. He took the yellow jersey on the seventh stage after a long breakaway with Bernard Thévenet and José Manuel Fuente. He then extended his lead by winning four more stages, including two mountain stages and two time trials. He finished the Tour with a margin of 15:51 over Thévenet, while Merckx did not participate due to injury. Ocaña continued to race until 1977, but he never reached the same level of success as in 1973. He suffered from various health problems, such as hepatitis, kidney stones, and depression. He also had several crashes and bad luck in races. He retired from cycling at the age of 32 and became a team manager and a cycling commentator. Ocaña had a troubled personal life as well. He was married to Dominique Ocaña, a French woman who he met in 1971. They had one son, Yoann, who was born in 1977. However, Ocaña was unhappy in his marriage and had several affairs. He also had financial difficulties and legal troubles. He became addicted to painkillers and alcohol and attempted suicide several times. On May 19, 1994, Ocaña shot himself in the chest with a hunting rifle at his home in Caupenne-d'Armagnac, Gers, France. He was 48 years old. He was buried at the Chapel of Notre Dame des Cyclistes in Labastide d'Armagnac, Landes, France, where his Tour de France yellow jerseys are displayed. Ocaña is remembered as one of the greatest cyclists of his generation and one of the few who could challenge Merckx. He was admired for his courage, determination, and passion for cycling. He was also a complex and tragic figure who struggled with his demons and his destiny. He left a lasting legacy in the history of cycling and inspired many riders who came after him.