1st Vuelta a Espana 1935

The Beginning of a Grand Event

The creation of the Vuelta a Espana was set up in less than two months by Clemente Lopez Doriga, who was the Henri Desgrange of the Vuelta. The first edition of Vuelta was closely related to the media and promoted by the newspaper Diario Informaciones.

The race conditions were not optimal and the race had only 50 riders on the start list. The two dominating characteristics of the first Vuelta, held from April 29 to May 15, 1935, were the difficult road course conditions and the bad weather (rainy and cold). The Spanish riders were expecting hot weather and found themselves doubly penalized by the weather that seemed more suited for Belgians.

The battle for the coveted race leader's jersey (orange in color for 1935) started immediately on stage 1. Through the early stages race favorites Gustaaf Deloor (Bel) and Mariano Canardo (Spa) suffer multiple mishaps. Deloor survived his problems, won Stage 3 and took his first race leader's jersey. Scoring a brilliant stage win he outdistanced his closest rivals Antoine Dignef (Bel) and Canardo by almost 9 minutes.

The bad weather remained a considerable factor and the attrition rate was high. By stage 4 Canardo saw all his teammates abandon the race, but the Spanish contender fought on alone. Belgian rider Gustaaf Deloor was in solid control of the General Classification, but was still feelling the pressure applied by a fierce effort from Mariano Canardo. The Belgian race leader put the race out of reach on the 273 km Stage 13 from Caceres to Zamora. Canardo crashed heavily and lost an additional five minutes.

50,000 spectators greeted the finish of the Vuelta on stage 14 in Madrid . With the great style of a champion Gustaaf Deloor broke away from Canardo and Max Bulla (Aut) and rode into Madrid for the stage win. He became the first ever winner of the Vuelta a Espana. Mariano Canardo also rode a brilliant final stage. Trailing Belgian Antoine Dignef by more than 3 minutes in his battle for second place, Canardo broke away from the peloton with Bulla and finished 10 minutes ahead of Dignef to move into second place overall.

VaE 1936

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