Barry Hoban, the mark of an era

On Monday, 19 April 2025, Barry Hoban passed away at the age of 85. A true icon of British cycling and a pillar of the Mercier team for over a decade, he leaves behind an indelible mark on the history of the sport.

Loyal to Mercier

Born in Yorkshire, Barry Hoban joined the Mercier-BP-Hutchinson team in 1964, where he would spend the majority of his career alongside legends such as Raymond Poulidor. Together, they experienced the team’s golden years, seasons that thrilled France year after year. Wearing the iconic violet jersey for more than ten seasons, Hoban became one of the team’s legendary figures, embodying a certain idea of cycling, one that remained loyal to the Mercier spirit.

His legend

Eight Tour de France stage wins. A number that only begins to capture the depth of his talent, but clearly reflects his place among the greatest sprinters of his generation. He took his first Tour stage victory in 1967, the day after the tragic death of Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux, a poignant tribute to his fallen compatriot.

From 1967 to 1975, Hoban would go on to win eight stages in total, a British record until the era of Mark Cavendish, and became the first British rider to win two consecutive Tour de France stages.

But Barry Hoban was more than just a sprinter. He was a complete rider, capable of shining on all terrains. In 1974, he claimed victory at Gent–Wevelgem, remaining to this day the only British rider to have won the race. On the sacred ground of the Flemish classics, he outpaced both Merckx and De Vlaeminck to achieve what remains one of his finest performances.

His legacy

Barry Hoban was the image of elegance, composure and humility. A quiet rider, but never without brilliance. A respected professional and a loyal teammate, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2009, a testament to his exemplary career and to his pioneering role in bringing British cycling to the European stage.

Thank you Barry

Barry Hoban will forever remain in the collective memory as one of the first great British names in European cycling. His familiar silhouette in the peloton, violet jersey on his back, evokes a time when cycling was more than a sport, it was a way of life. For us, his passing strikes a deep chord. Beyond the victories, it is the departure of a true era. A man who chose France as his adopted home, and Mercier as his home at heart.

The peloton rolls on, but some names never fade.

Thank you Barry.