Luis Ocana

Nationality	Spanish
Date of Birth	June 9, 1945
Place of Birth	Priego, Spain
Height	172 cm
Weight	64 kg
Discipline	Road
Retired	1977

Luis Ocana was a professional road cyclist from Spain. He was born in Priego, Spain, on June 9, 1945. Ocana was a top rider in the 1970s, winning some of the sport’s most famous races such as the Tour de France, the Dauphiné Libéré, and the Vuelta a España.

Ocana began his professional climbing career in the late 1960s and swiftly rose to prominence. He finished second in the 1970 Vuelta a Espaa before winning the race in 1973. He also won the Dauphiné Libéré and finished second in the Tour de France in 1973.

Ocana’s most notable victory came in the 1973 Tour de France, when he defeated the unbeatable Eddy Merckx. The triumph was tarnished by a violent incident on the descent of the Col de Menté, which resulted in shattered collarbones for Ocana and broken jaws for Merckx. Despite the injury, Ocana won the race by more than eight minutes.

A devastating accident during the 1977 Tour de France ended Ocana’s career, leaving him with several injuries, including a fractured leg. Later that year, he announced his retirement from professional riding.

The Most Significant Achievements of Luis Ocana:

Year	Achievement
1970	Vuelta a España Second Place
1973	Dauphiné Libéré Winner
1973	Tour de France Winner
1973	Vuelta a España Winner
1975	Paris-Nice Winner
1975	Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré Winner
1976	Spanish National Road Race Championship Winner