José María Jiménez

Jose-María Jiménez
Personal information
Full name José María Jiménez Sastre
Nickname 'El Chava'
Born (1971-02-06)February 6, 1971
El Barraco, Spain
Died December 6, 2003(2003-12-06) (aged 32)
Madrid, Spain
Team information
Discipline Road
Role Rider
Rider type Climbing specialist
Professional team(s)
19932000 Banesto
20012002 iBanesto.com
Major wins

National Road Race Championship (1997)
Vuelta a España

King of the Mountains (1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001)
Points classification (2001)
10 stages
Volta a Catalunya (2000)
Infobox last updated on
November 12, 2007

Jose María Jiménez Sastre (February 6, 1971 in El Barraco, Spain - December 6, 2003 in Madrid) was a professional road bicycle racer. His nickname was "El Chava".

When he turned professional, Jiménez was considered a potential successor of Miguel Indurain.[1] He won the points jersey (2001) and the mountains jersey (1997–1999, 2001) of the Vuelta a España, finishing 3rd overall in 1998, 5th in 1999, and 17th in 2001.

He often attacked without considering the consequences, which sometimes resulted in spectacular wins in the toughest mountain stages. During stage eight of the 1999 Vuelta a España Jiménez attacked the 23% grade of the Angliru in rain and fog to catch Pavel Tonkov's long solo break at the line and take the stage in a two-man sprint. As he crossed the line, he did not have the energy for the victory pose. It was the first time in the history of the race that the Angliru was used.[2] However, he would subsequently pay for his attacking style in the next stage, where he would often lose by 10 or more minutes. Jiménez received psychological treatment for depression, and retired from professional cycling in 2002, at which point he got married. He died of a heart attack in a psychiatric hospital in Madrid at the age of 32, in December 2003.[3]

Spanish cyclist Carlos Sastre is Jiménez's brother-in-law.

Major results

1992
1st Overall Circuito Montañés
1994
1st Subida a Urkiola
1st Overall Vuelta a La Rioja
1st Stage 2
1995
1st Overall Colorado Classic
1st Stages 1 & 3
1st Stage 4 Volta a Catalunya
1996
1st Subida a Urkiola
12th Overall Vuelta a España
1997
1st Red jersey with yellow stripes. National Road Race Championship
1st Overall Vuelta a La Rioja
1st Stage 2
8th Overall Tour de France
1st Mountains classification Vuelta a España
1st Stage 19
1998
1st Stage 3 Dauphiné Libéré
1st Stage 5 Vuelta a Asturias
3rd Overall Vuelta a España
1st Mountains classification
1st Stages 6, 10, 11 & 16
1999
5th Overall Vuelta a España
1st Mountains classification
1st Stage 8
2000
1st Classique des Alpes
1st Overall Volta a Catalunya
1st Stages 7 & 8
2001
17th Overall Vuelta a España
1st Points classification
1st Mountains classification
1st Stages 8, 11 & 12

Grand Tour General classification results timeline

Grand Tour 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Giro 26 33
Tour 51 57 8 WD - 23 -
Vuelta 12 21 3 5 WD 17

WD = withdrew

References

  1. "Cyclisme - Jose Maria Jimenez meurt d'une crise cardiaque". Associated Press (in French) (Le Devoir). 8 December 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  2. Martin Hardie (8 December 2003). "A tribute to Jose-Maria Jimenez". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  3. Henry, Chris (8 December 2003). "José Maria Jimenez dead at 32". Cycling News (Future Publishing Limited). Retrieved 10 August 2012.

External links

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