Barry Hoban
Encyclopedia
Barry Hoban is a former English
professional cyclist who rode during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was the previous holder of the record (before Mark Cavendish
) for the most stage wins in the Tour de France
by a British rider, winning eight between 1967 to 1975. He holds the record for the most Tours completed by a British rider – having finished 11 of the 12 he started between 1965 and 1978. He was also the only Briton to have won two consecutive stages of the Tour until Mark Cavendish won stages 12 and 13 of the 2008 edition (Cavendish then twice repeated the feat, winning the second and third, 10th and 11th stages of the 2009 Tour de France
). Cavendish equalled Hoban's record of stage wins on Stage 11 of the 2009 edition, and beat it by winning Stage 19.
in individual time trial
s. Two years later, he was fourth in the British League of Racing Cyclists
hill-climb (the senior title being won by Simpson). Despite his early prowess as a climber, Hoban later established himself as one of Europe's best sprinter
s.
Inspired by the European successes of fellow Yorkshireman Brian Robinson and of Simpson, Hoban went to France
in 1962, turned professional two years later, and stayed abroad for another 16 years.
He rode for Mercier-Hutchinson-BP, his team leader was Raymond Poulidor who is famous for coming second in tdf's but never winning. Barry was single then and used to come back to Wakefield for the winter with a case full of used shorts/jerseys etc. and sell them to the local riders (it wasn't easy then to get good quality kit and what was available was expensive). Dozens of riders in the BCF West Yorks division had a pair of shorts with Mercier Hutchinson embroidered on the legs. Back then, the best frames were hand built British ones and Maurice Woodrup, a Leeds frame builder, would have a new frame sprayed Mercier pink waiting for him each year. He would take it back to have Mercier transfers attached.
In the 1967 Tour de France
, after the death of Tom Simpson
, Hoban was allowed to win the next stage. Two years later, in 1969, Hoban married Simpson's widow, with whom he has a daughter Daniella, and two stepdaughters Jane and Joanna.
and the 1974 Gent–Wevelgem. In the ’Monument’ Classics
, his best performances were third places in Liège–Bastogne–Liège (1969) and Paris–Roubaix (1972). Towards the end of a career spent largely in mainland Europe
, Hoban occasionally returned to the UK to race; he won the London
-Bradford
race and was second in the British professional road-race championship
in 1979, and he won the Grand Prix of Manchester in 1980.
At least one bicycle was made with his name on it, including Barry Hoban-badged frames made by Coventry Cycles (later trading as Coventry Eagle). This is a common practice of retired racing cyclists. Hoban lives in Mid-Wales after moving there to work with the factory that built his frames.
In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional cyclist who rode during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was the previous holder of the record (before Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
) for the most stage wins in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
by a British rider, winning eight between 1967 to 1975. He holds the record for the most Tours completed by a British rider – having finished 11 of the 12 he started between 1965 and 1978. He was also the only Briton to have won two consecutive stages of the Tour until Mark Cavendish won stages 12 and 13 of the 2008 edition (Cavendish then twice repeated the feat, winning the second and third, 10th and 11th stages of the 2009 Tour de France
2009 Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France was the 96th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on 4 July in the principality of Monaco with a individual time trial which included a section of the Circuit de Monaco...
). Cavendish equalled Hoban's record of stage wins on Stage 11 of the 2009 edition, and beat it by winning Stage 19.
Early career
Hoban started cycle racing in 1955, and by the end of the year was competing against Tom SimpsonTom Simpson
Tom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
in individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
s. Two years later, he was fourth in the British League of Racing Cyclists
British League of Racing Cyclists
The British League of Racing Cyclists was an association formed in 1942 to promote road bicycle racing in Great Britain. It operated in competition with the National Cyclists' Union, a rivalry which lasted until the two merged in 1959 to form the British Cycling Federation.-Background:The National...
hill-climb (the senior title being won by Simpson). Despite his early prowess as a climber, Hoban later established himself as one of Europe's best sprinter
Cycling sprinter
A cycling sprinter is a road bicycle racer or track racer who can finish a race very explosively by accelerating quickly to a high speed, often using the slipstream of another cyclist or group of cyclists tactically to conserve energy.-The road sprinter:...
s.
Inspired by the European successes of fellow Yorkshireman Brian Robinson and of Simpson, Hoban went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1962, turned professional two years later, and stayed abroad for another 16 years.
He rode for Mercier-Hutchinson-BP, his team leader was Raymond Poulidor who is famous for coming second in tdf's but never winning. Barry was single then and used to come back to Wakefield for the winter with a case full of used shorts/jerseys etc. and sell them to the local riders (it wasn't easy then to get good quality kit and what was available was expensive). Dozens of riders in the BCF West Yorks division had a pair of shorts with Mercier Hutchinson embroidered on the legs. Back then, the best frames were hand built British ones and Maurice Woodrup, a Leeds frame builder, would have a new frame sprayed Mercier pink waiting for him each year. He would take it back to have Mercier transfers attached.
In the 1967 Tour de France
1967 Tour de France
The 1967 Tour de France was the 54th Tour de France, taking place June 29 to July 23, 1967. It consisted of 22 stages over 4780 km, ridden at 35.018 km/h...
, after the death of Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
, Hoban was allowed to win the next stage. Two years later, in 1969, Hoban married Simpson's widow, with whom he has a daughter Daniella, and two stepdaughters Jane and Joanna.
Tour de France stage wins
- 1967 - stage 14 - Carpentras – Sète – allowed to win after the death of Tom SimpsonTom SimpsonTom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
on the previous stage - 1968 - stage 19 - Grenoble – Sallanches – a rarity in that Hoban won a mountain stage, not a sprint
- 1969 - stage 18 - Mourenx – Bordeaux
- 1969 - stage 19 - Bordeaux - Brive-la-Gaillarde – the first Briton to win successive stages of the Tour. Mark CavendishMark CavendishMark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
being the second to equal this achievement in 2009 - 1973 – stage 11 - Montpellier - Argelès-sur-Mer
- 1973 - stage 19 - Bourges – Versaille
- 1974 - stage 13 - Avignon – Montpellier
- 1975 - stage 8 - Angoulême - Bordeaux
Other career highlights
Hoban also won two stages of the 1964 Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
and the 1974 Gent–Wevelgem. In the ’Monument’ Classics
Classic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
, his best performances were third places in Liège–Bastogne–Liège (1969) and Paris–Roubaix (1972). Towards the end of a career spent largely in mainland Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Hoban occasionally returned to the UK to race; he won the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
race and was second in the British professional road-race championship
British National Road Race Championships
The British National Road Race Championships cover different categories of British road bicycle racing events, normally held annually.-History:...
in 1979, and he won the Grand Prix of Manchester in 1980.
At least one bicycle was made with his name on it, including Barry Hoban-badged frames made by Coventry Cycles (later trading as Coventry Eagle). This is a common practice of retired racing cyclists. Hoban lives in Mid-Wales after moving there to work with the factory that built his frames.
In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame
British Cycling Hall of Fame
The British Cycling Hall of Fame was established in 2009 as part of British Cycling's 50th anniversary celebrations.On 17 December 2009, the names of fifty riders to be inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame were announced...
.