Roberto Heras
Roberto Heras Hernández (born 1 February 1974) is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer who won the Vuelta a España a record four times. Between 1997 and 2005 he finished in the top 5 of the Vuelta every year except 1998 when he finished 6th. He won a record-tying three times, and then broke the record with a fourth win in 2005, but he was eventually disqualified after being accused of taking EPO. Heras chose to fight the accusations and this resulted in a lengthy court case and appeal process.
Heras at the 2005 Vuelta a España | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Roberto Heras Hernández |
| Born | 1 February 1974 Béjar, Spain |
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 59 kg (130 lb; 9 st 4 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Retired |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Rider type | Climbing specialist |
| Professional teams | |
| 1997–2000 | Kelme–Costa Blanca |
| 2001–2003 | U.S. Postal Service |
| 2004–2005 | Liberty Seguros |
| Major wins | |
Grand Tours
| |
In June 2011, Heras successfully appealed against the disqualification in the civil court of Castilla y León, and this decision was upheld in the Spanish supreme court in December 2012. The Spanish cycling federation subsequently reinstated Heras as 2005 Vuelta champion.