Luis Ocana

Maillot of the Ocaña Bic team.

Jesús Luis Ocaña Pernía (Priego, Cuenca, June 9, 1945-Mont-de-Marsan, May 19, 1994) was a Spanish cyclist, professional between 1968 and 1977, whose elders sporting successes were the absolute victories in the 1973 Tour de France and the 1970 Vuelta a España.

He was the second Spanish cyclist (after Federico Martín Bahamontes) to win the Tour de France.

Biography

In his childhood he lived with his family in the Aran Valley, in Viella (Viella and Medio Arán), where a friend named José Castet de Vila found work for his family. As a child he emigrated with his parents to France, where he trained as a cyclist under the tutelage of the mythical Antonin Magne.

He was known among the French as "the Spanish of Mont-de-Marsan" alluding to the town where he lived, north of the Pyrenees. In Spain, the sports press dubbed him "the Spanish Merckx". In the year 1968 he made his debut as a professional.

Yellow Maillot of Ocaña del Tour de France 1973.

In 1969, he took second place in the Tour of Spain, behind Roger Pingeon. A year later, he won the Vuelta and was second in 1973 and 1976, and third in 1971.

In the 1971 Tour, Ocaña had to abandon the race due to a serious fall on the descent of the Col de Menté when he was wearing the yellow jersey and led Eddy Merckx by almost seven and a half minutes after taking almost nine from him in a memorable stage ending in Orcières-Merlette.

In 1973 he won the Tour: he won six stages and wore the yellow jersey from the seventh stage to the finish in Paris.

After retirement he dedicated himself to viticulture, living in the south of France with his wife Josiane. In 1979, he was in a car accident in which he nearly lost his life.

During the 1980s, he took an active part in French political life, supporting and campaigning for Jean Marie Le Pen's National Front.

On May 19, 1994, he decided to end his life due to a severe depression caused by financial problems and the disease he suffered: hepatitis C.

In the city of Cuenca, the Municipal Pool bears his name and in Miranda de Ebro (Burgos) homage was paid to him on May 12, 1973, naming an elevated railway bridge after him. This bridge was torn down in 1987 due to the diversion of the railway.

On May 27, 2008, he was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit in a ceremony chaired by the Minister of Social Political Education and Sports, Mercedes Cabrera, and the Secretary of State for Sports, Jaime Lissavetzky.

Honours of Prizes

Results in Grand Tours and World Championships

Race		1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
	Giro de Italia	32.o	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Tour de France	-	Ab.	31.o	Ab.	Ab.	1.o	-	Ab.	14.o	25.
	Return to Spain	Ab.	2.	1.o	3.o	-	2.	4.o	4.o	2.	22.
World on Route		Ab.	Ab.	Ab.	Ab.	-	3.o	Ab.	-	-	-

Awards, recognitions and distinctions

• Gold Medal of the Royal Sports Merit, awarded by the Superior Sports Council (2008)