Rafael Antonio Niño Explained

Rafael Antonio Niño
Fullname:Rafael Antonio Niño Munévar
Nickname:El Niño de Cucaita
Birth Date:11 December 1949
Birth Place:Cucaita, Colombia
Currentteam:Retired
Discipline:Road
Role:Rider
Ridertype:Climbing specialist
Amateuryears1:1970
Amateurteam1:Junta administradora de deportes
Amateuryears2:1971
Amateurteam2:Singer
Amateuryears3:1972
Amateurteam3:Postobón
Amateuryears4:1973
Amateurteam4:Ferretería Reina Ltda
Amateuryears5:1975–1977
Amateurteam5:Banco Cafetero
Amateuryears6:1978
Amateurteam6:Benotto
Amateuryears7:1979
Amateurteam7:Lotería de Boyacá
Amateuryears8:1980
Amateurteam8:Droguería Yaneth
Amateuryears9:1981–1982
Amateurteam9:Lotería de Boyacá
Proyears1:1974
Majorwins:Vuelta a Colombia (6 times)
Clásico RCN (5 times)

Rafael Antonio Niño Munévar (born 11 December 1949) is a retired Colombian road racing cyclist. He won the Vuelta a Colombia in 1970. After that he became a professional cyclist from 1973 to 1974. He participated in the Giro d'Italia. After one year as a professional he returned to Colombia and set up the Banco Cafetero team of which he was the undisputed leader. With this strong team he dominated the Vuelta a Colombia and the Clásico RCN during the 1970s.[1] He earned the nickname El Niño de Cucaita.[2] He won a record six editions of the Vuelta a Colombia. After he retired he became a technical director of the Colombia professional cycling team, Café de Colombia, that participated in the Tour de France winning several stages during the 1980s.[3]

Major results

1970
  • 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia
    1971
  • 1st Overall Clásico RCN
  • 3rd Overall Vuelta a Colombia
    1972
  • 1st Stage 6 Vuelta a Colombia
  • 2nd Overall Vuelta al Táchira
  • 1st Sprints classification
  • 3rd Overall Clásico RCN
    1973
  • 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia
  • 1st Stages 2 & 6
    1975
  • 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia
  • 1st Mountains classification
  • 1st Stages 7, 10 & 12
  • 1st Overall Clásico RCN
  • 1st Points classification
  • 1st Mountains classification
  • 1st Combined classification
  • 1st Stages 4 & 5
    1976
  • 1st Stages 3b & 4 Vuelta a Boyacá
    1977
  • 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia
  • 1st Points classification
  • 1st Mountains classification
  • 1st Combined classification
  • 1st Stages 1, 7, 10 & 11
  • 1st Overall Clásico RCN
  • 1st Points classification
  • 2nd Overall Vuelta a Cundinamarca
  • 1st Points classification
  • 1st Stages 1 & 6
    1978
  • 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia
  • 1st Stage 4
  • 1st Overall Clásico RCN
  • 1st Points classification
  • 1st Mountains classification
  • 1st Combined classification
  • 1st Stages 3a & 5
    1979
  • 1st Overall Clásico RCN
  • 1st Combined classification
  • 1st Stage 4
  • 4th Overall Vuelta a Colombia
    1980
  • 1st Overall Vuelta a Colombia
  • 1st Stages 6 & 13
    1981
  • 1st Stage 11 Vuelta a Colombia

    Notes and References

    1. Book: Rendell, Matt. Kings of the Mountains. Aurum Press. 2002. 1-85410-837-9.
    2. Web site: Vuelta a Colombia. decolombia.net. 2007-08-09.
    3. Web site: Rafael Antonio Niño, nuevo técnico de Lotería de Boyacá. Boyaca government. 2007-08-09.