86-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Won First Place in the World Masters Cycling Championships Just 7 Years After Starting to Cycle Professionally

Determination and passion for a sport surpasses mere age! The scenic town of South Lake Tahoe witnessed a remarkable tale of resilience and determination as 86-year-old Leon Malmed embarked on his cycling endeavor. Participating in the strenuous sport at this age exhibits his endurance, followed by a gruesome history of surviving the Holocaust.

The incredible journey of Malmed has called the attention of the cycling community, taking the roads on his entrusted two-wheeler. This article traverses through his journey from surviving the Holocaust to making his way to the world championship in cycling. 

Malmed’s childhood painted with a painful past

Living in the Nazi-occupied France, Malmed’s life was shaped by the ordeal his family had to go through during the Holocaust. He still recalls his separation from his mother, who was taken away by the French army on the orders of the Nazi SS. They were forced to wear Holocaust badges, signifying their identities as Jewish, thereby separating them from the mass. 

Being taken care of by their generous neighbor, Riboleau family, Malmed’s childhood was filled with impoverishment. Although the Nazi oppression culminated with the taking over by the American soldiers, Malmed and his sister waited for 50 years for their reunion with their parents, only to discover that they passed away in Auschwitz.

Spending initial years in France, he relocated to the United States in 1964 evading the racial tensions that prevailed in the country. At the age of 66, Malmed took up cycling as his newfound passion. He expressed his enthusiasm for the sport with Tahoe Daily Tribune, “Biking makes me happy. It gives me an incredible sense of freedom. When I’m chasing another rider, I tap into this energy I didn’t know I still had.”

Cycling against all odds to create records

Initially, Malmed set out on his cycling adventure with a loafer bike, he gradually rose to success by channeling his skills. At 78 in 2021, he decided to debut in competitive cycling, participating in the USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships. Despite stringent competition, Malmed broke through all barriers by securing the top spot in the 80-84 age category in the criterium race while ending as the runner-up in the road race and time trial.

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Drawing inspiration from his elementary victories, Malmed pursued to try his luck at the World Masters Cycling Championships and traveled to Austria. Once more, he proved his cycling prowess by becoming the world champion in his age category. Even on his 86th birthday, Malmed continues to preserve his indomitable spirit, refusing to exhibit any signs of surrender. Advancing his insatiable appetite for competition, he focuses on the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Denmark as his upcoming daring stance.

Drawing inspiration from his past, Malmed has adhered to a fierce spirit while cycling to honor the struggles his parents had to go through. It is through adversity, followed by the newfound purpose, that the cycle of life continues with occasional bouts of triumph.   

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