"EL PIPA" BERNARDO RUIZ: 100 YEARS OF THE CHAMPION WHO MADE HISTORY AND HAD COPPI IN HIS HEART

EVENTS | 10/01/2025 | 08:10
di Francesca Monzone
Bernardo Ruiz, known to everyone as El Pipa, is considered the first professional Spanish cyclist in history and last Tuesday turned 100 years old. Born in 1925, El Pipa was the first Spaniard to stand on the Tour de France podium in 1952 and won the Vuelta in 1948. Spain celebrated him as they do with great heroes and he, with great emotion and humility, accepted meeting journalists, the city council, and many fans and sports personalities who came to Orihuela.
Bernardo Ruiz made Spanish sports history and in 100 years, the former cyclist from Alicante province has seen everything happen in his life, but he will always be remembered for being the first Spaniard to stand on the Tour de France podium in 1952, behind Fausto Coppi and Belgian Stan Ockers. He also had success in Italy and, although he never made the podium of the Giro, he won a stage in Rome in 1955. In his homeland, he was the best cyclist for a long time, after winning the Vuelta in 1948 and having three National Championships to his credit.
For Bernardo Ruiz, like most people born before the Great War, sport was a necessity for survival and he started cycling after the Civil War. At 11 years old, he went to the black market and regularly covered the distance between Orihuela, his hometown, and Cartagena, over 80 kilometers, carrying 50 kilos of food, drinks, and all kinds of goods. Moreover, he did this on roads in terrible condition. What he did to survive transformed into experience and helped him win an amateur race and understand he could have a future in cycling.
El Pipa, who was one of the cycling greats in his Spain, had an idol who was not from his land, but was Italian. It was Fausto Coppi, the Heron to everyone, with whom he loved to race. "The best rider I ever saw was Fausto Coppi" – Ruiz recalled during his 100-year celebration - "I appreciated him both on and off the road. He was a gentleman, a humble guy. But when he started shooting with his bike, no one could follow him".
Bernardo's merit, according to all those close to him who could tell his story, was maintaining the humility that always characterized him. Every time he went to France to race the Tour, he returned home loaded with tires, sprockets, and other spare parts. Even the pharmacists in his town asked him to bring penicillin because at that time there was none. Everything was for his friends, for his family. He was always willing to help because he knew there was little money for cycling in Spain. The government during the years he raced was not very supportive of him, but El Pipa never stopped, proving he could compete with Italians, French, and Belgians.
In his hometown of Orihuela, Bernardo Ruiz crossed the entrance of the municipal theater in his wheelchair and many people were waiting for him. In difficult moments, when roads were rough, Bernardo Ruiz paved the way for subsequent generations. But the true success that Spain recognized in this champion of another era was not the multitude of trophies won, but the ability to achieve his dream of becoming a cyclist in those years when Spain was going through true poverty and he, with his bike, had the strength to race for himself and for all those Spanish cyclists who would arrive in the following years and who today, a hundred years after his birth, have come to say thank you.

COMMENTI

Per poter commentare i post devi esser registrato.
Se sei giá nostro utente esegui il login altrimenti registrati.

TBRADIO

00:00

JUNIORES

CRONOMETRO CORIO. DOPPIETTA DEL TEAM GUERRINI SENAGHESE CON VESCO E CACCHIO

Nuova affermazione per il Team Guerrini Senaghese nella Cronometro di Corio, prova riservata alla categoria juniores disputata nel Torinese. A imporsi è stato il campione lombardo Riccardo Vesco, autore di una prestazione di grande spessore sui 4, 7 chilometri...

PROFESSIONISTI

FLANDRIEN CLASSIC. IL GRUPPO SI MUOVE TARDI, ARRIVA LA FUGA E FESTEGGIA PEDERSEN (UNO X)

Henrik Pedersen regala alla Uno-X Mobility la quindicesima vittoria stagionale imponendosi al termine dei 199 chilometri della Flandrien Classic corsa oggi con partenza da Brakel e arrivo Haacht. L'atleta 21enne ha superato in volata Laurence Pithie della Red Bull - BORA...

PROFESSIONISTI

SLOVACCHIA. A GALANTA LA FUGA BEFFA IL GRUPPO CON FETTER CHE ESULTA DAVANTI A SKOK E MAGNIER. 6° MILAN

Il gruppo sbaglia i calcoli nella quarta tappa dell'Okolo Slovenksa 2026. Resistendo con caparbietà alla rimonta del plotone infatti, i cinque fuggitivi di giornata sono riusciti a giocarsi il successo sul traguardo della Beluša-Galanta di 197 chilometri dove, poco prima...

PROFESSIONISTI

GRAN PREMIO DEL LAZIO. GODON NON SBAGLIA! COLNAGHI E VENDRAME SUL PODIO

Il ritorno in calendario del Gran Premio del Lazio sorride a Dorian Godon che, dopo le svariate beffe del Giro d'Abruzzo, riesce finalmente ad andare a segno. Il francese si è reso protagonista di una volata lunghissima, che però è...

MONDIALI

MONDIALI. CARAPAZ RINUNCIA: «DEVO PENSARE ALLA SALUTE»

Un altro assente eccellente ai Mondiali di Montreal: Richard Carapaz ha annunciato che sarà costretto a saltare l’appuntamento iridato per problemi di salute. Scrive in una lettera ufficiale il corridore della EF Education Easypost: «Ho comunicato ufficialmente alla Federazione ecuadoriana...

ESORDIENTI

TROFEO ZAZA'. PISARRA VINCE LA GARA UNICA SU MILANI E DEMICHELI. GALLERY

Fabio Pisarra firma con la vittoria il Trofeo Zazà gara unica per la categoria esordienti svoltasi a Gorla Maggiore in provincia di Varese. Il giovane varesino di Carnago, portacolori del GS Prealpino, allo sprint ha regolato Gabriele Milani della Bustese...

ALLIEVI

TROFEO ZAZÀ. VENTURA SI SBLOCCA A GORLA MAGGIORE: PRIMA VITTORIA STAGIONALE. GALLERY

Si sblocca Andrea Ventura, che conquista la sua prima vittoria stagionale imponendosi al Trofeo Zazà per la categoria Allievi, disputato a Gorla Maggiore, nel Varesotto. Il corridore di Saronno, classe 2011 e portacolori del Team Senaghese Guerrini, ha regolato...

MONDIALI

MONDIALI. PAUWELS: «ABBIAMO DUE CARTE, VOGLIO TORNARE IN BELGIO CON LA MAGLIA IRIDATA»

Domani si disputerà la prova a cronometro del Campionato del Mondo e il grande favorito è senza dubbio Remco Evenepoel. La nazionale belga ha allestito un gruppo competitivo e compatto a Bromont, dove la squadra si è radunata nei giorni...

APPROFONDIMENTI

LA MAGLIA NON FA LA STARTLIST: COSA DICONO DAVVERO I NUMERI DEL GIRO DI CAMPANIA

Una squadra WorldTour vale più di una Continental? Se parliamo di struttura, budget, profondità dell’organico e organizzazione, la risposta è quasi scontata. Ma la domanda cambia completamente quando si prova a misurare quanto vale davvero la formazione che quella squadra...

FCI

STUDENTI-ATLETI, RINNOVATO L'ACCORDO TRA MINISTERO DELL'ISTRUZIONE E IL DIPARTIMENTO PER LO SPORT

Nell’ambito della promozione del valore educativo, formativo e sociale dell’attività motoria e sportiva, nonché del diritto allo studio e del successo formativo delle studentesse e degli studenti impegnati in attività sportive di rilievo nazionale,...