Pedro Delgado
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| Delgado in Zaragoza at the 2004 Vuelta a España | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Pedro Delgado Robledo |
| Nickname | Perico |
| Date of birth | April 15, 1960 |
| Country |  Spain |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Climbing specialist |
| Professional team(s) | |
| 1982-1984 1985 1986-1987 1988-1994 |
Reynolds Seat-Orbea PDM Reynolds/Banesto |
| Major wins | |
| Tour de France (1988) Vuelta a España (1985, 1989) |
|
| Infobox last updated on: | |
| August 20, 2007 | |
Pedro Delgado Robledo (born April 15, 1960 in Segovia), also known as Perico, is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He was the winner of the 1988 Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España in 1985 and 1989.
He became an impetus for change in cycling's doping regulations after testing positive for probenecid, a masking agent, during the 1988 Tour de France. Though other sports governing bodies, such as the IOC, recognized probenecid as a doping agent, the UCI, which oversaw cycling, did not, and thus Delgado was allowed to continue in the event without sanction.
He presently works as a sports commentator for Televisión Española during large cycling events.
He managed to finish his secondary school education before his professional success. He is 171 cm. tall (5 ft 7-1/2 in) and used to weigh 64 kg. (141 lb.), which made him highly effective in the mountain stages. He had an aggressive racing style, making cycling a spectacle, which gained him support from many fans.
Arguably his most spectacular performance was not that of year of his win, but it was the following year when he made his defence of the 1988 yellow jersey. Showing up an astonishing 2'40" late for the prologue he put in a superb ride time (3rd fasted behind Charlie Mottet and Greg LeMond), but actually finished the day last on the general clasification because the race organisors started the clock at the time Delgado should have ridden down the start ramp. He therefore became the only defending champion to begin the race proper as the last placed rider.
Clearly believing he could still win the 1989 Tour de France Delgado rode the whole race on the offensive, but a weak team time trial due to temporary illness, where he would have been dropped by his team had they not waited for him more or less cost him the race, and he finished in Paris third behind LeMond and Fignon. Even accounting for his 2'40" initial deficit Delgado would not have won the 1989 Tour because the time he lost in the team time trial.
Had it not been for the constant swapping between those two riders of the yellow jersey, and that final individual time trial by LeMond to take the race by the closet ever margin, Delgado's troubled race would certainly be the biggest drama of the 1989 Tour de France.
[edit] Trivia
- His name was the inspiration for the name of the now-disbanded Scottish rock group The Delgados.
[edit] Major results
- 1987: 2nd overall; 3rd points classification; 1st stage 19; Combativity award; 4 days in maillot jaune
- 1988:
1st overall; 3rd mountains classification; 11 days in maillot jaune - 1989: 3rd overall; 2nd mountains classification
- 1990: 4th overall
- 1991: 9th overall
- 1992: 6th overall
- 1993: 9th overall
- 1982: 29th overall
- 1983: 15th overall
- 1984: 4th overall
- 1985:
1st overall; 1 stage win - 1986: 10th overall
- 1987: 10th overall
- 1989: 1st overall; 3 stage wins
- 1990: 2nd overall
- 1992: 10th overall; 1 stage win
- 1993: 6th overall
- 1994: 3rd overall
- Other one-day races and stage races
- Vuelta a Murcia (1981)
- Subida a Urkiola (1991)
- GP Miguel Indurain (1990)
[edit] External links
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Stephen Roche |
Winner of the Tour de France 1988 |
Succeeded by Greg LeMond |
| Preceded by Seán Kelly |
Winner of the Vuelta a España 1989 |
Succeeded by Marco Giovanetti |
| Preceded by Éric Caritoux |
Winner of the Vuelta a España 1985 |
Succeeded by Álvaro Pino |
