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Julian BerrenderoSpanish road cyclist
Date of Birth: 08.04.1912
Country:  Spain |
Content:
- Julián Berrendero: A Legendary Spanish Cyclist
- Exile and Return during the Spanish Civil War
- Triumphs in the Post-War Vuelta
- National Championships and Later Career
- Post-Retirement and Legacy
Julián Berrendero: A Legendary Spanish Cyclist
Early Career and Tour de France SuccessJulián Berrendero's cycling career began in 1934, and he quickly rose to prominence by winning the Vuelta a Galicia the following year. In 1936, he became the highest-placed Spaniard in the Vuelta a España, finishing 4th overall. In July, Berrendero made his debut in the Tour de France, where he won the mountains classification.
Exile and Return during the Spanish Civil War
Around the same time, the Spanish Civil War broke out, prompting Berrendero to remain in France rather than return to his home country. He achieved a notable victory in 1937, winning the queen stage of the French stage race, the Pyrenees, which finished in Pau, where he chose to settle. However, family circumstances forced him to return to Spain, where he was imprisoned for a year at a Francoist penal colony near Rota.
Triumphs in the Post-War Vuelta
With the resumption of the Vuelta a España during World War II, only Spaniards and a handful of Swiss riders participated. This provided an opportunity for home riders to compete for the overall victory. In 1941, Delio Rodriguez won 12 of 21 stages but struggled in the mountains. The overall battle came down to Berrendero and Fermín Trueba, with Berrendero ultimately winning by a margin of one minute. The following year, Berrendero faced no serious competition and also triumphed in the mountains classification.
National Championships and Later Career
From 1942 to 1944, Berrendero won the Spanish National Road Race Championship three times and the National Cyclocross Championship twice. In 1945 and 1946, he placed second in the Vuelta a España, but his results declined in subsequent years. He retired from professional cycling in 1949.
Post-Retirement and Legacy
After his retirement, Berrendero pursued a career in bicycle sales, opening a shop called "Berrendero y Real." Following his death, the shop was inherited by his nephew and is now known as "Bicicletas Berrendero." Julián Berrendero is remembered as a two-time winner of the Vuelta a España, a Tour de France mountain classification winner, and a three-time Spanish National Road Race Champion. His accomplishments continue to inspire generations of cyclists in Spain and beyond.
