Barry Hoban, the British cycling Icon and eight-time Tour de France stage winner has died aged 85. Hoban was a pioneer of cycling in the UK in the 1960s and 70s and blazed a trail for cyclists such as Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas.
Born in 1940 in Wakefield, Yorkshire, Hoban cut his teeth for local cycling club Calder Clarion as a sprinter before realising he had a particular aptitude for climbing. He turned professional in the 1960s and spent 19 years on the circuit.
Hoban remains the only British male rider to win Belgian’s renowned Gent-Wevelgem when he triumphed on the course’s infamous cobbles and climbs in 1974. Britain’s Lizzie Deignan later won the inaugural women’s version in 2012.
Until Mark Cavendish eventually surpassed him in 2009, Hoban held the record for the most Tours de France completed by a British rider. He finished 11 of the 12 Tours he competed in, another British cycling record that Hoban held until recently with Geraint Thomas finishing his 12th tour last year. The Welshman might have more in the saddle but the Yorkshireman can lay claim to being the first British rider to win a Tour de France mountain stage and the first to win two Tour stages consecutively.
Hoban was great friends with Tom Simpson and his first Tour stage win in 1967 was a tribute to Britain’s first world champion cyclist who died after collapsing on Mont Ventoux. In emotional scenes, Hoban was allowed to complete the stage as a solo rider in tribute the day after Simpson’s death.
Hoban spent the majority of his seasons racing for Mercier-BP-Hutchinson, with teammates including fellow cycling greats Cyrille Guimard and Raymond Poulidor. He is survived by his wife Helen, daughter Daniella and step-daughters Jane and Joanne Simpson.