Miguel Induráin Photo Gallery
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Major victories and high placings| professional teams | nicknames | photos |
Miguel Induráin (born June 16, 1964) was the dominating Grand Tour rider of the 1990s. He is the only rider to win five consecutive Tours de France (1991-1995). Each of his two Giro d'Italia victories came before going on to win the Tour de France, making him one of seven riders to perform the Giro-Tour double.
Like Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, he was a superb time trialist, a skill that let him ride most of his races defensively, and therefore economically. Generally, riders who could drop Induráin in the mountains were crushed in the races against the clock. Though not a specialist climber, given his size (1.88 meters - 6' 2"), his ability to ascend the high mountains was astonishing. His high pedaling cadence was also unusual in such a big man. Induráin rarely betrayed any sign of effort or stress when he raced.
He turned pro in the fall of 1984 and though he had some high value wins (such as two Paris-Nice victories) during the first part of his professional career, nothing seemed to point to his ownership of the Tour de France starting in 1991.
In the final 500 meters of the 1991 Tour's stage 13 ascent ascent of the Tourmalet, Greg LeMond, who had been leading since stage 8, slid back from the leading group, which included Induráin. That afternoon Induráin was in yellow. That moment on the Toumalet signalled the transition from the LeMond era to the near total hegemony of Miguel Induráin.
He attempted a sixth Tour victory but was suffering from bronchitis when the 1996 edition began. He eventually finished the 1996 Tour eleventh, more than 14 minutes behind winner Bjarne Riis. He recovered to win the gold medal in the individual time trial at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
He abandoned the 1996 Vuelta a España that fall and officially retired January 1, 1997.
Major victories and high placings:
1985:
- 2nd place Ruta del Sol
1986:
- Tour of the Communauté Economique Européenne, winning also points classification and 2 stages
1987:
- GP de Navarre
- Tour des Vallées Minières, winning 3 stages
- 3rd place Catalonian Week
1988:
- Volta a Catalunya
1989
- Paris-Nice
- Critérium International
1990
- Clasica San Sebastian
- Paris-Nice
- 3rd place Tour of the Basque Country
- 3rd place Tour of Burgos
1991
- Tour de France
- Volta a Catalunya
- Tour du Vaucluse
- GP de Navarre
- Clasica San Sebastian
- 2nd place Vuelta a España
- 3rd place World Road Championships
1992:
- Champion of Spain
- Giro d'Italia, winning 2 stages and the Intergiro classification
- Tour de France, winning 3 stages
- Volta a Catalunya
- 2nd place tour de Romandie
- 3rd place Paris-Nice
- 3rd place Tour de l'Oise
1993:
- Giro d'Italia
- Tour de France
- 2nd place Spanish Road Championships
- 2nd place World Road Championships
- 3rd place Tour de Valence
1994:
- World Hour Record (53.040 km)
- Tour de France
- Tour de l'Oise
- 2nd place Tour de Valence
- 3rd place Giro d'Italia
1995:
- World Time Trial Championships
- Tour de France
- Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- GP du Midi-Libre
- Vuelta Rioja
- 2nd place World Road Championships
1996:
- Olympic Time Trial Gold Medal
- Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- Bicicleta Vasca, both general and points classifications
- Vuelta a Asturias
1984-1985: Reynolds
1986: Reynolds-Reynolon
1987: Reynolds-Seur
1988-1989: Reynolds
1990-1996: Banesto
Nicknames: Big Mig, El Rey, The Giant of Navarro, The Big Quiet One, Miguelón
Miguel Induráin at the 1985 Baracchi Trophy.
Induráin finishes at l'Alpe d'Huez in stage 11 of the 1990 Tour de France.
Induráin riding to a credible third place in the stage 12 time trial finishing in Villard de Lans in the 1990 Tour de France.
Miguel Induráin in yellow after stage 15 in Gap in the 1991 Tour de France.
1991 Tour de France, stage 16: Induráin leads Gianni Bugno (in Italian champion's jersey) to L'Alpe d'Huez.
Miguel Induráin puts the 1991 Tour de France on ice by winning the final time trial in Mâcon.
Induráin and his team celebrate his 1991 Tour de France victory on the Champs Elysées.
1992 Giro d'Italia: Induráin rides the prologue in Genoa.
Induráin in pink after stage 3 of the 1992 Giro d'Italia.
Riding the stage 4 time trial of the 1992 Giro.
Induráin in pink finishes the 1992 Giro's 6th stage at Melfi.
Climbing to Corvara Alta Badia in stage 12 of the 1992 Giro d'Italia.
Now climbing to Monte Bondone in stage 13 of the 1992 Giro.
Claudio Chiappucci keeps an eye on Induráin in stage 18 of the 1992 Giro d'Italia.
Miguel Induráin wins the final time trial in Milan, clinching the ownership of the 1992 Giro d'Italia.
1992 Tour de France, stage 13: Miguel Induráin in Yellow after the stage finishes in Sestriere.
Stage 14 of the 1992 Tour de France: Shadowed by Claudio Chiappucci in polka dots, Induráin climbs to l'Alpe d'Huez.
Induráin rides down the Champs Elysées in yellow at the end of the 1992 Tour de France.
1992 Tour de France final podium, from left: Claudio Chiappucci, Miguel Induráin and Gianni Bugno.
A rare show of effort from Induráin. Here he finishes the stage 10 time trial in Senigallia during the 1993 Giro d'Italia.
Miguel Induráin (Banesto kit) and Gianni Bugno (rainbow jersey) on the road to Asiago in stage 12 of the 1993 Giro d'Italia.
Racing in the Dolomites: Induráin descends a pass on the road to Corvara Alta Badia during stage 14 of the 1993 Giro d'Italia.
Induráin is in pink as he time trials to Sestriere in stage 19 of the 1993 Giro d'Italia.
1993 Giro d'Italia. Claudio Chiappucci in the green climber's jersey marks pink-clad Induráin.
1993 Giro d'Italia final podium, from left: Piotr Ugrumov, Miguel Induráin and Claudio Chiappucci.
Tony Rominger leads Miguel Induráin on the road to Serre Chevalier in stage 10 of the 1993 Tour de France.
Induráin digs deep on the road to Pau in stage 17 of the 1993 Tour de France. I'm pretty sure that's Claudio Chiappucci in the foreground.
1993 World Road Championships in Oslo, Norway. Winner Lance Armstrong on the podium with second-place Induráin and third place Olaf Ludwig.
Zoom! Induráin races to Follonica in the 1994 Giro d'Italia stage 8 time trial.
Marco Pantani leads Induráin and Nelson Rodriguez to Aprica in stage 15 of the 1994 Giro d'Italia.
Richard Virenque in polka dots leads yellow jersey's Induráin on the road to Carpentras in stage 15 of the 1994 Tour de France.
Alez Zülle lead Induráin and Richard Virenque to Val Thorens in stage 17 of the 1994 Tour de France
No sign of effort. Miguel Induráin time trials to Morzine-Avoriaz in stage 19 of the 1994 Tour de France.
1995 Tour de France: Getting ready to ride the stage 8 individual time trial in Saraing.
Induráin riding to La Pagne in stage 8 of the 1995 Tour de France.
Induráin leads Alex Zülle to Guzet Neige in stage 14 of the 1995 Tour de France.
1995 World Road Championships podium, from left: second place Miguel Induráin, winner Abraham Olano and third place Marco Pantani.
Induráin climbs to Les Arcs in stage 7 of the 1996 Tour de France.
Stage 9 of the 1996 Tour de France. Induráin leads Tony Rominger, Richard Virenque and Jan Ullrich to the finish at Sestriere.
Induráin limiting his losses on the road to Lourdes/Hautacam in stage 16 of the 1996 Tour de France.
Induráin riding his last Tour de France time trial, stage 20 of the 1996 Tour.
Induráin at stage 13 of the 2013 Vuelta a España. Vincenzo Nibali wear's the leader's jersey.
A puzzled-looking Chairman Bill with Miguel Induràin at the 2013 Las Vegas Interbike show.