Manolo Azcona was the founder and former president of the Kern Pharma development team, a Spanish UCI ProTeam road cycling team.
Kern Pharma’s Pablo Castrillo recently won an emotional victory in the Spanish Vuelta on Thursday, August 28, 2024, the day Azcona left the world after a long battle with cancer.
Highlights
- Manolo Azcona took his last breath on August 28, 2024, from the complications of cancer.
- Azcona was raised along with eight siblings in a Spanish family.
- He was married and had one daughter and two grandchildren.
The team led by Juanjo Oroz, who was present at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana, announced his passing news.
The team said in a statement,
“How happy Manolo would be , This one is for you.”
Ken Pahrma
It was one of the team’s first Grand Tour stage victories, and Pablo Castrillo Zapater, 23. He said,
“It really is a very special day.” “I can’t believe I’ve won in my first Vuelta. I dedicate this win to my team, to my family and above to all to a very special person, Manolo Azcona. I thought about him the whole stage, to win as a tribute.”
Pablo Castrillo
However, the general classification did not change after the 137.5 km route ended with a long climb into Manzaneda in northwest Spain.
Manolo Azcona Was Also A Founder Of The Asociacion Deportiva Galibier
Manolo Azcona, 71, was born on 1952, in Zurucuáin, Spain. Amid the Vuelta a Espana, cycling woke up to terrible news of Azcona, which had left the day in mourning.
Azcona left the world, leaving behind an incredible legacy in Spanish cycling. Earlier, he worked as an amateur cyclist and bus driver in the late 1980s.
In 1993, he founded the Asociacion Deportiva Galibier, a key training organization for high-level riders in national cycling.
Hoy hemos conocido la triste noticia del fallecimiento de Manolo Azcona.
— Punta Galea Tx. E. (@PuntaGaleaTxE) August 29, 2024
Fundador y expresidente de la AG Galibier.
Eskerrik asko, Manolo, txirrindularitzaren alde egin duzun guztiagatik.@EqKernPharma @EqFinisher
Punta Galea Tx. E. pic.twitter.com/vwk7XbT46a
His organization improved in quality when the Lizarte brand became part of the project.
Moreover, the organization took a definitive leap forward when a professional team, in alliance with Kern Pharma, created the pharmaceutical brand.
Azcona founded Kern Pharma, a Spanish ICU ProTeam road cycling team, in 2020. The team was promoted from the ICU Continental level in 2021.
His team included athletes such as Richard Carapaz, Andre Amador, and Marc Soler.
The team runs under the direction of Juanjo Oroz, a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer.
Following his illness, Azcona decided to retire from the front line of sports management in May 2023.
Manolo Azcona Was Survived By His Wife And Daughter
The founder of Kern Pharma and Asociacion Deportiva Galibier, Manolo Azcona, was married and blessed with one daughter.
However, Azcona kept his esposa(wife) and daughter’s details from the media. His daughter is also married and has two children.
Nuestro más sentido pésame para toda la familia y amigos de Manolo Azcona, Goian Bego Manolo
— Perseus-Zabalgarbi Team (@equipoPerseus) August 29, 2024
Gure doluminik handiena Manolo Azconaren, Goian Bego Manoloren familia eta lagun guztiei pic.twitter.com/7XxEq01Mxx
Moreover, Manolo was born and raised in a Spanish family with 8 siblings who followed Spanish culture and festivals.
His family is mourning the tragic loss of Manolo Azcona. Azcona’s close ones and friends have also offered their heartfelt condolences and urged his family to stay strong in this challenging time.
Additional Information
- Manolo Azcona had an estimated net worth of around $15 million at his passing.
- A week ago, Azcona received a visit from Juanjo Oroz in the hospital, and together, they watched the Vuelta a Espana stage.
- He allowed hundreds of Navarrese riders to make their cycling dreams come true.
