Rider Obituary: The unhappy information of the passing of Guillermo Timoner was introduced on Thursday, seventeenth of August, he was 97 years-old. Timoner was Spain’s first World biking champion and was a World champion six occasions between 1955 and 1965. He was additionally Spanish nationwide champion quite a few occasions.
Guillermo Timoner poses subsequent to a tribute in his honour
Federico Bahamontes handed away on the eighth of August, the ‘Eagle of Toledo’ was the Spain’s first Tour de France winner and the primary rider from the Iberian Peninsula that was profitable outdoors of his international locations borders. Guillermo Timoner died simply two weeks later, he was the undisputed king of the observe in the course of the years during which biking and soccer have been the one sports activities during which Spain excelled internationally. Timoner and Bahamontes made headlines with their victories.
You possibly can learn the Federico Bahamontes‘ obituary HERE.
The World champion Timoner and the Tour winner Bahamontes
Born in Felanich, a city positioned within the southeast of the island of Mallorca, on March 24, 1926. Timoner was a carpenter as a younger man and his expertise on two wheels was found by the necessity to get round by bicycle to go to work. That is how a legendary story was born that opened the doorways of Spanish biking.
Preparing for a ‘stayers’ race
In contrast to Bahamontes, Timoner didn’t go hungry. His first bicycle, which price him 510 pesetas, was purchased after fattening and promoting a pig that his father, who cultivated land and raised animals, took care of. The hardships of the battle handed by the Timoner home. Guillermo, who on the age of 15 lied to the pharmacist of his city, who was answerable for issuing the younger riders first licenses. He informed her that he was 16, the minimal age to race. By then he had already gained his first race in S’Horta, the prize was a hen. He was racing on the highway, however he realised that the observe was his future. He had the benefit that there have been two velodromes in Mallorca, the place he lived and died, the one in Campos, close to Felanitx, and the one in Tirador, within the centre of Palma, the place he gained his first Balearic championship title in 1941.
World champs podium
Timoner alternated between the 2 specialties of highway and observe. He gained three levels of the Tour of Mallorca, however by then he had already gained his first Spanish championship title in Tortosa. He was 18 years outdated and it could be eleven years earlier than he made worldwide competitors. Till 1954 he hadn’t taken half in a World championships, however he went to Wupertal, in Germany, with out a coach and completed sixth, however he had realized so much there for the next years. In 1955, on the historic Vigorelli velodrome in Milan, the scene of Fausto Coppi’s hour report and bombed after which set on fireplace, Guillermo Timoner was the motor-paced World champion for the primary time. At a median velocity of 79.865 kilometres per hour, the Mallorcan obtained his first rainbow jersey, additionally the primary for a Spanish bicycle owner. A newspaper headline from the time described the shortage of the fabric with which he hung his first gold medal: “A Quixote on an iron horse”.
Behind a giant moto, glued to the rear curler for the slipstream, in a specialty that has virtually disappeared, Timoner added 5 extra world titles, in 1959 (Amsterdam), 1960 (Leipzig), 1962 (Milan), 1964 (Paris) and 1965, on the Anoeta velodrome in San Sebastián. He was additionally twice runner-up within the World champs. He competed between 1941 and 1971, and reappeared in 1984, on the age of 58. He was the Spanish coach on the observe, however the thorn in his facet was by no means having been an Olympic champion. Timoner was an expert and the Video games, at the moment, have been closed to athletes who have been paid.
Timoner behind a giant moto
After he retired, Timoner lived out of his sports activities retailer in Felanitx, transformed right into a museum together with his bicycles, jerseys and trophies. All the time honoured in his city, the place there’s a avenue and a sports activities centre named after him. The six-time World champion, who had been a carpenter in his youth, suffered from Alzheimer’s in his final years, though if he didn’t keep in mind his victories, the collective reminiscence of Spanish sport wont neglect.
Celebrating together with his followers
The day Bahamontes celebrated the conquest of the Tour de France, Timoner additionally celebrated the primary World title he gained in Paris. The Actual Madrid soccer stadium was transformed right into a velodrome for the general public to pay homage to the 2 fathers of the game who now, collectively, have departed.
Ha fallecido Federico Martín Bahamontes, “el águila de Toledo”, el primer español en ganar el Tour de Francia en 1959. Tras aquello fue objeto de un homenaje nacional, junto a Guillermo Timoner, en el Santiago Bernabéu. pic.twitter.com/taOoTkF9cA
— Hemeroteca RMCF (@HemerotecaRMCF) August 8, 2023
Guillermo Timoner, thought-about the pioneer of observe biking in Spain, died on the age of 97 on Thursday. We ship our condolences to his household and associates.
Descanse en paz campeón
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