Luis Herrera
Encyclopedia
Luis Alberto "Lucho" Herrera Herrera known as "el jardinerito" (the little gardener) (born May 4, 1961 in Fusagasugá
, Colombia
) is a retired Colombia
n road racing cyclist. Herrera was a professional from 1985 to 1992 but had a successful amateur career before that in Colombia
.
He entered his first Vuelta a Colombia in 1981 where he finished 16th overall and 3rd in the New Rider competition. Although he abandoned his second Vuelta a Colombia in 1982, he won Colombia's second major stage-race the Clásico RCN
. In 1983 Herrera won Clásico RCN
again as well as two stages and finishing second overall to Alfonso Florez Ortiz
in the 1983 Vuelta a Colombia
. In 1984 he would win the Vuelta a Colombia
, the Clásico RCN
as well as winning stage 17 to Alpe d'Huez
in the 1984 Tour de France
, becoming the first Colombian to win a stage of the race. He would win the Vuelta a Colombia
and the Clásico RCN
four times each but his greatest achievement was in 1987, when he won the Vuelta a España
, the first South American to win a Grand Tour
. Herrera also won the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in 1988 and 1991 and five "King of the Mountains
" jerseys from the three Grand Tours.
Luis Herrera is the second rider to win the "King of the Mountains
jersey in all three Grand Tours. The first was Federico Bahamontes
of Spain.
Giro d'Italia
Vuelta a España
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
Fusagasugá
Fusagasugá is a town and municipality in the department of Cundinamarca, in central Colombia. It is located some forty miles from the capital, Bogotá. With 122,000 inhabitants, Fusagasugá is one of the largest municipalities in the department. It was founded in 1562 by Spanish priests.It borders...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
) is a retired Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n road racing cyclist. Herrera was a professional from 1985 to 1992 but had a successful amateur career before that in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
He entered his first Vuelta a Colombia in 1981 where he finished 16th overall and 3rd in the New Rider competition. Although he abandoned his second Vuelta a Colombia in 1982, he won Colombia's second major stage-race the Clásico RCN
Clásico RCN
The Clásico RCN is an annual cycling road race that takes place over many stages through different regions of Colombia during October...
. In 1983 Herrera won Clásico RCN
Clásico RCN
The Clásico RCN is an annual cycling road race that takes place over many stages through different regions of Colombia during October...
again as well as two stages and finishing second overall to Alfonso Florez Ortiz
Alfonso Flórez Ortiz
Alfonzo Flórez Ortiz was a Colombian road racing cyclist who was a professional from 1985 to 1987, where he rode for the Colombian professional cycling team Café de Colombia team....
in the 1983 Vuelta a Colombia
Vuelta a Colombia
The Vuelta a Colombia is an annual cycling road race, run over many stages throughout different regions in Colombia and sometimes Venezuela during the first days of August. It is organized by the Colombian Cycling Federation.The first Vuelta a Colombia was held in 1951...
. In 1984 he would win the Vuelta a Colombia
Vuelta a Colombia
The Vuelta a Colombia is an annual cycling road race, run over many stages throughout different regions in Colombia and sometimes Venezuela during the first days of August. It is organized by the Colombian Cycling Federation.The first Vuelta a Colombia was held in 1951...
, the Clásico RCN
Clásico RCN
The Clásico RCN is an annual cycling road race that takes place over many stages through different regions of Colombia during October...
as well as winning stage 17 to Alpe d'Huez
Alpe d'Huez
L'Alpe d'Huez is a ski resort at . It is a mountain pasture in the Central French Alps, in the commune of Huez, in the Isère département in the Rhône-Alpes region.-Tour de France:L'Alpe d'Huez is one of the main mountains in the Tour de France...
in the 1984 Tour de France
1984 Tour de France
The 1984 Tour de France was the 71st Tour de France, run over 4020.9 km in 23 stages and a prologue, from 29 June to 22 July 1984.French rider Laurent Fignon won his second consecutive Tour, beating former teammate Bernard Hinault by over 10 minutes. Hinault was pursuing his fifth Tour...
, becoming the first Colombian to win a stage of the race. He would win the Vuelta a Colombia
Vuelta a Colombia
The Vuelta a Colombia is an annual cycling road race, run over many stages throughout different regions in Colombia and sometimes Venezuela during the first days of August. It is organized by the Colombian Cycling Federation.The first Vuelta a Colombia was held in 1951...
and the Clásico RCN
Clásico RCN
The Clásico RCN is an annual cycling road race that takes place over many stages through different regions of Colombia during October...
four times each but his greatest achievement was in 1987, when he won the Vuelta a España
Vuelta 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...
, the first South American to win a Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
. Herrera also won the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in 1988 and 1991 and five "King of the Mountains
King of the Mountains
The King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
" jerseys from the three Grand Tours.
Luis Herrera is the second rider to win the "King of the Mountains
King of the Mountains
The King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
jersey in all three Grand Tours. The first was Federico Bahamontes
Federico Bahamontes
Federico Martín Bahamontes is a Spanish former professional road racing cyclist.-Biography:Bahamontes was born in Santo Domingo-Caudilla , of Cuban descent. His family was devastated during the Spanish civil war and Bahamontes' father, Julián, took the family to Madrid as refugees...
of Spain.
Major accomplishments
Tour de France- 27th overall (19841984 Tour de FranceThe 1984 Tour de France was the 71st Tour de France, run over 4020.9 km in 23 stages and a prologue, from 29 June to 22 July 1984.French rider Laurent Fignon won his second consecutive Tour, beating former teammate Bernard Hinault by over 10 minutes. Hinault was pursuing his fifth Tour...
)- 1st, Stage 17
- 7th overall (19851985 Tour de FranceThe 1985 Tour de France was the 72nd Tour de France, taking place June 28 to July 21, 1985, over 4109 km in 22 stages and a prologue.Bernard Hinault would attempt to equal the records of Jacques Anquetil and Eddy Merckx who had each won the Tour de France five times. Hinault was unable to...
)- 1st, Stage 11
- 1st, Stage 14
- Winner
King of the MountainsKing of the MountainsThe King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
(polka dot jerseyPolka dot jerseyThe Mountains classification in the Tour de France is a secondary classification in the Tour de France, in which cyclists receive points for reaching a mountain top first...
)
- 22nd overall (19861986 Tour de FranceThe 1986 Tour de France was the 73rd Tour de France, taking place July 4 to July 27, 1986. The total race distance was 4094 km, distributed over 23 stages and a prologue. It was won by Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour...
) - 5th overall (19871987 Tour de FranceThe 1987 Tour de France was the 74th Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 26, 1987. It consisted of 25 stages over 4231 km, ridden at an average speed of 36.645 km/h...
)- Winner King of the MountainsKing of the MountainsThe King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
(polka dot jerseyPolka dot jerseyThe Mountains classification in the Tour de France is a secondary classification in the Tour de France, in which cyclists receive points for reaching a mountain top first...
)
- Winner
- 6th overall (19881988 Tour de FranceThe 1988 Tour de France was the 75th Tour de France, taking place from July 4 to July 24, 1988. It consisted of 22 stages over 3281 km, ridden at an average speed of 38.909 km/h...
) - 19th overall (19891989 Tour de FranceThe 1989 Tour de France was the 76th Tour de France, a race of 21 stages and a prologue, over 3285 km in total. In the closest tour in history, Greg LeMond was behind by 50 seconds at the start of the final stage, a time trial into Paris. LeMond rode for an average speed of 54.55 km/h ,...
)
Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
- King of the Mountains (maglia verde) (1989)
Vuelta a España
Vuelta 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...
-
1st overall (1987) - King of the Mountains (green jerseyGreen jerseyThe green jersey is a term used in road bicycle racing and Grand Tour stage races in particular. The green jersey is a distinctive racing jersey worn by the leader in a subsidiary competition....
) (1987, 1991)
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1st overall (1988, 1991)