British cycling icon Barry Hoban has passed away aged 85.
Hoban enjoyed an illustrious professional career spanning nearly two during the 1960s and 1970s and is remembered as one of England’s greatest ever cyclists.
The Wakefield-born rider formerly held the record for the most stage victories ever by a Brit in the Tour de France after winning eight titles between 1967 and 1975.
He was also the first Briton in history to win two consecutive stages of the Tour – a feat which has since only matched by Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas.
News of Hoban’s death has sparked a flood of social media tributes for the legendary Yorkshireman, who was affectionately nicknamed ‘Uncle Barry’ on the circuit.
‘Sad news that Barry Hoban has passed away, he was a genuine legend from the glory days of old, and a hero to so many future pros,’ renowned photographer Graham Watson said.
‘He was the first British cyclist I photographed in a Tour de France, in 1977, and I’m extremely glad to have this one image of the man in action. RIP.’
‘What a sad day but also what an important day to celebrate what a massive impact Barry Hoban had,’ cycling commentator Jez Cox wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
‘He paved the way for Cav, G, Wiggins and Froome. I’ll never forget my interview I did with him about his 1974 Gent–Wevelgem win for TV.
‘What a passion for our sport. RIP Barry.’
Chris Sidwells, the author of Cycling Legends, tweeted: ‘I’ll miss you mate.
‘Our long phone calls, and even longer drives.’
Hoban’s record for the most Tour stages won by a British competitor stood strong until Cavendish surpassed him in 2009.
‘Records are meant to be broken,’ he told Cyclist.co.uk in 2020.
‘Today, teams can devote a chunk of their team to a sprinter. The only train I saw was a choo-choo train.’
While Hoban’s first stage win came in 1967, he ‘didn’t count’ it as an genuine victory given the peloton allowed him to ride solo to the finish line following the tragic death of his compatriot, Tom Simpson, in the previous round.
‘It was to commemorate Tom who was very popular so I don’t count that,’ Hoban told Cyclist.co.uk five years ago.
Hoban is survived by his wife, Helen, his daughter, Daniella, and his step-daughters, Jane and Joanne Simpson.
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