Luis Navarro (cyclist)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Luis Navarro Amorós |
| Born | 3 January 1929 Novelda, Alicante, Venezuela |
| Died | 15 May 2011 (aged 82) Spain |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Professional team | |
| 1957 | Guardia de Franco |
| Major wins | |
Grand Tours
| |
Luis Navarro Amorós (3 January 1929 – 15 May 2011) was a Spanish cyclist in the 1950s. The highlight of his brief career was winning a stage of the Vuelta a España in 1950.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
Born in the La Tejera neighbourhood of Novelda in 1929, Navarro was the town's first professional cyclist.[2] When he was young, his family moved to the city of Dolores, where he grew up and even developed the distinguished accent of Vega Baja del Segura.[1]
Cycling career
On 30 August 1950, the then unknown Navarro surprised many by beating two veteran teammates in the final sprint, including Bernardo Ruiz, to win stage 12 of the 1950 Vuelta a España with a time of 6 hours and 52 minutes, which consisted of 194 kilometers between Tarragona and Castellón, but despite this, he finished the race 23rd overall.[1][5][6] In the following year, he won a stage at both the Volta a Catalunya and the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid, and then won the 1952 Circuito Ribera del Jalón.[3][4] He also took part in other national professional events, such as the Vuelta a Levante and the Vuelta a Andalucía, and participated in his second Vuelta a España in 1957.[1]
Even after retiring in the early 1960s, Navarro remained closely linked to cycling, winning several veteran races, becoming a provincial track cycling coach, and mentoring many local cyclists, some of whom became professionals, such as Pedro Pardo and Hipólito Verdú.[1][2] He also promoted and organised local tournaments, and in the 1990s, he became one of the strongest supporters of the project to build a municipal velodrome in Novelda city, but he did not lived long enough to see it completed due to several years of waiting, criticism, contempt, and obstacles.[2]
Death and legacy
Navarro died on 13 May 2011, at the age of 82.[1][3][4] In 2022, the City Council of Novelda unanimously agreed to name its first velodrome after him in recognition of his prominent role in promoting cycling in Novelda.[2][7] Three years later, in January 2025, the Luis Navarro Amorós velodrome was nominated for the prestigious FOPA 2025 Awards.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Fallece Luis Navarro Amorós" [Luis Navarro Amorós passes away]. noveldadigital.es (in Spanish). 17 May 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "El Velódromo Municipal de Novelda se llamará "Velódromo Luis Navarro Amorós"" [The Municipal Velodrome of Novelda will be called "Luis Navarro Amorós Velodrome"]. alicante.elperiodicodeaqui.com (in Spanish). 12 January 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ a b c "Luis Navarro Amorós". www.museociclismo.it (in Italian). Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ a b c "Luis Navarro Amorós - #6546 best all time pro cyclist". www.cyclingranking.com. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "9ème Vuelta a España 1950" [9th Tour of Spain 1950]. www.memoire-du-cyclisme.net (in Spanish). 25 October 2004. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Vuelta a España 1950 Stage 12 results". www.procyclingstats.com. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Velódromo Luis Navarro Amorós". archello.com. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "El velódromo Luis Navarro Amorós de Novelda, nominado a los prestigiosos Premios FOPA 2025" [The Luis Navarro Amorós velodrome in Novelda, nominated for the prestigious FOPA 2025 Awards]. noveldadigital.es (in Spanish). 15 January 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.