 Jiménez on a 1969 Emirate of Ajman postage stamp | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Julio Jiménez Muñoz |
| Nickname | La pulga de Ávila (The Flea of Ávila), El Relojero de Ávila (The Watchmaker of Ávila)[1] |
| Born | 28 October 1934 Ávila, Spain |
| Died | 8 June 2022 (aged 87) Ávila, Spain |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Climber |
| Professional teams | |
| 1959 | Bilbao–Goyoaga |
| 1960–1961 | Catigene |
| 1962–1963 | Faema |
| 1964–1965 | KAS–Kaskol |
| 1966 | Ford France–Geminiani |
| 1966 | KAS–Kaskol |
| 1967–1968 | Bic |
| 1969 | Eliolona |
| Major wins | |
 National Road Race ChampionGiro d'Italia, 4 stages Tour de France, 5 stages
Vuelta a España, 3 stages
| |
Julio Jiménez Muñoz (28 October 1934 – 8 June 2022)[2] was a Spanish professional road racing cyclist.
Early life
Jiménez's father was an ambulance driver during Spain’s Civil War, and later a chauffeur for a general in the Spanish army, who gave Jiménez his first bike as a gift. As an amateur rider, he won a stage at the 1960 Volta a Catalunya, which helped him earn his first professional contract. [3]
Career
Known as a climbing specialist, he won the King of the Mountains title six times at Grand Tours. He won five stages of the Tour de France in his career; stage 20 of the 1964 Tour de France was one of the most famous stages in TDF history due to the battle up the Puy-de-Dôme between Anquetil and Poulidor. This stage was won by Jiménez, who was able to cross the line 0:11 ahead of Spanish climber Federico Bahamontes, 0:57 ahead of Poulidor, 1:30 ahead of Vittorio Adorni and 1:39 ahead of Anquetil.[4] Although beaten by Bahamontes in the Mountains classification at the 1964 Tour, Jiménez would win the Mountains classification at the next three Tours de France, also finishing second overall in 1967. In 1965, he became one of (now) four riders to complete the Tour/Vuelta double by winning both Tour's mountains competition in the same year. He also wore the leaders jersey at the 1964 Vuelta; and the 1966 and 1968 Giro d'Italia. He retired after the 1969 season, returning to his home town of Avila where he opened a nightclub and restaurant.[5] A short, steep pedestrianised street in Ávila, Cuesta de Julio Jiménez, is named in his honour.
Major results
- 1963
- King of the Mountains – Vuelta a España
- 1964 – Kas–Kaskol
- King of the Mountains – Vuelta a España
- 2 stages – Vuelta a España
- Tour de France
- 2nd, King of the Mountains
- 7th, General Classification
- 2 stages
- 1965 – Kas–Kaskol
- Tour de France
- Winner Mountains classification
- 2 stages
- King of the Mountains – Vuelta a España
- 1 stage – Vuelta a España
- 1966 – Ford–France–Hutchinson
- Tour de France
- Winner Mountains classification
- 1 stage
- Giro d'Italia
- 2 stages
- 1967 – Spain
- Tour de France
- Winner Mountains classification
- 2nd overall
- 1968 – Spain
- Giro d'Italia
- 2 stages
- Tour de France
- 3rd, King of the Mountains
- 30th, General Classification
References
- ↑ Clarke, Stuart (5 November 2015). "13 of the strangest nicknames in cycling". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ↑ Muere el exciclista Julio Jiménez, el 'Relojero de Ávila', a los 87 años (in Spanish)
- ↑ "Meet Julio Jiménez: You think Bahamontes was Spain's greatest climber? Think again". VeloNews. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ↑ "1964 Tour de France by BikeRaceInfo".
- ↑ "Meet Julio Jiménez: You think Bahamontes was Spain's greatest climber? Think again". VeloNews.com. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
External links
- Julio Jiménez at Cycling Archives
- Palmarès at velo-club.net (in French)