Miguel Poblet

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Miguel Poblet in 1956.
Miguel Poblet in 1956.

Miguel Poblet, born 1928 March 18 at Moncada y Reixach in the northern suburbs of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, was a Spanish professional cyclist who’s career lasted from 1944 to 1962 during which he had over 200 professional victories. He was the first Spanish rider to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, he is only one of three riders who won stages in the three Grand Tours in the same year (1956).

He won the Milan-Sanremo classic race on two occasions and took 26 stage wins in the three Grand Tours. His twenty stage wins in the Giro d'Italia makes him the third most successful foreign rider behind Eddy Merckx (25) and Roger De Vlaeminck (22). Poblet was of short stature who had great power, he was the first Spanish rider to be a specialist in one day races in an age when Spain only produced climbers. He had a lightning fast sprint, but could also climb well, taking the Spanish Mountain championships on three occasions and the mountainous Volta a Catalunya twice.

Miguel's father Enrique owned a bicycle shop in Barcelona and he encouraged his son to take up racing seriously at a young age and supplied him with all the necessary equipment. Despite turning professional in 1944, at the tender age of 16, Poblet’s career did not really take off internationally until 1955 when he was invited to be part of the Spanish team at the Tour de France, at that time the Tour invited national squads rather than trade teams. Poblet made an immediate effect at the Tour when won the opening stage between Le Havre and Dieppe becoming the first Spaniard to wear the yellow jersey. He held onto the jersey in the afternoon Team time trial but lost it next day to Dutchman Wout Wagtmans. However Poblet had more glory at that years Tour when he took the prestigious final stage into Paris at the Parc des Princes stadium.

Success at the 1955 Tour ensured an invitation to the 1956 Giro d’Italia where he took four stage, this followed three stage wins in the Vuelta a España, he took another Tour de France stage win that year between Angers and La Rochelle to complete a grand slam of stages in Grand Tours for 1956. By this time Poblet was riding for the Faema team led by Rik Van Looy but he left the team early in 1957 after being told he was not going to ride Milan-Sanremo, he signed for the Italian squad Ignis and promptly won Milano-Torino for them, a week later he was victorious at Milan-Sanremo. He stayed with the Ignis squad for the rest of his career.

Poblet prepared meticulously for Milan-Sanremo, designing a training course in Catalonia similar to the Italian classics parcours with a big climb similar to the Turchino Pass followed by a series of smaller hills. He finished second in 1958 behind Van Looy and then won again in 1959 after breaking away from the bunch with 400 metres to go. He came close to winning Paris-Roubaix in 1958 coming second to Leon Van Daele and third in 1960 when Pino Ceremi won. He is the only Spaniard ever to get on the podium at the Roubaix velodrome.

Poblet still lives in the Barcelona area, in 2001 the local sports arena was named after him and more than 2000 people turned out to pay tribute to him. In 2004 he was a special guest of the Vuelta a Espana as it passed through Catalonia.

[edit] Career highlights

  • 1946: Two stage wins and 4th overall Vuelta a Burgos
  • 1947: 1st GP Primavera, Three stage wins and 5th overall Volta a Catalunya, Spanish mountain champion
  • 1948: Two stage wins and 7th overall Volta a Catalunya, Spanish mountain champion
  • 1949: Spanish sprint champion, Four stage wins and 2nd overall Volta a Catalunya, Spanish mountain champion
  • 1951: Spanish sprint champion, Two stage wins Volta a Catalunya
  • 1952: Spanish Madison champion, First overall and three stage wins Volta a Catalunya, Four stage wins Tour of Castille
  • 1953: Two stage wins Volta a Catalunya
  • 1954: Five stage wins Vuelta a Aragon, Three stage wins Volta a Catalunya
  • 1955: Two stage wins Tour de France, 1st overall GP Midi Libre, 11th Tour of Lombardy
  • 1956: One stage win Tour de France, Four stage wins Giro d’Italia, Three stage wins Vuelta a Espana
  • 1957: 1st Milan-Sanremo, Spanish RR champion, 1st Milano-Torino, 6th overall Giro d’Italia
  • 1958: 1st Points competition and three stage wins Giro d’Italia, 2nd Tour of Lombardy, 2nd Paris-Roubaix, 2nd Milan-San Remo
  • 1959: Spanish sprint champion, Three stage wins Giro d’Italia, 3rd Tour of Lombardy, Three stage wins Volta a Catalunya, 3rd Paris-Brussels
  • 1960: Two stage wins Giro d’Italia, Spanish sprint champion, 1st overall and three stage wins Volta a Catalunya,
  • 1961: Spanish sprint champion
  • 1962: Spanish sprint champion
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