Bernard Hinault
A French cyclist whose ferocious will to win dominated the peloton, earning him victories through a blend of tactical cunning and sheer force.
Born 1954 (age 72)·French cyclist·Birthday: November 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bernard Hinault, 'The Badger', was a rider defined by his combative pride and an unwavering belief in his own supremacy. Hailing from Brittany, a region known for its tough, stubborn people, he turned professional in 1975 and immediately began collecting the sport's biggest prizes. His five Tour de France wins were not mere displays of endurance; they were conquests, often sealed with a devastating attack in the mountains or a daring solo breakaway. He is one of only two riders to have won all three Grand Tours multiple times. Hinault raced with a famous scowl, engaged in public feuds with rivals and organizers, and famously honored a strike by riders during the 1984 Tour. His career ended on his own terms after a final Tour win in 1985, leaving a void filled by legends but never quite matched for his particular brand of intelligent aggression and theatrical defiance.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bernard was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Bernard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Tour de France five times (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985).
- One of only two cyclists to win all three Grand Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España) at least twice.
- Won the Giro d'Italia three times and the Vuelta a España twice.
- Won the World Road Race Championship in 1980.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Le Blaireau' (The Badger), comes from his stubborn and tenacious racing style.
He is an accomplished amateur painter and has held exhibitions of his work.
After retirement, he worked for the Tour de France organizer, ASO, often seen presenting the yellow jersey.
He famously rode in support of his teammate Greg LeMond in the 1986 Tour, helping LeMond to victory.
“As long as I breathe, I attack.”
