Barry Hoban dies aged 85 as tributes pour in for British cycling and Tour de France icon

Cycling icon Barry Hoban has passed away aged 85 years old. The Yorkshireman won eight Tour de France stages across his impressive 19-year career as a professional.

Until Mark Cavendish, Hoban was the record holder for the most Tour de France stage wins by a British rider. He also held the British record for the most completed Tours, after completing the race 11 times.

Hoban won the prestigious Gent-Wevelgem race in 1974, beating legendary cycling great Eddy Merckx to the line. He also featured at the 1960 Rome Olympics, riding in the team pursuit for Great Britain. Other notable achievements by the Brit include third-place finishes at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Paris-Roubaix - two of cycling's most grueling one-day classics.

Following the sad news of his death, tributes for Hoban began to pour in. Photographer Graham Watson said: "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. 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."

Commentator Jez Cox added: "What a sad day but also what an important day to celebrate what a massive impact Barry Hoban had. He paved the way for [Mark] Cav, G [Geraint Thomas], [Bradley] Wiggins and [Chris] 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 xx."

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