On 1994, Mariano Rojas arrived at the ONCE Elite Team being only 20 years old. That same season, he earned the respect of the best riders on the international peloton, and everyone believed that he was Spain’s brightest rookie.
One year later, on the 1995 Tour of France, he reached the Top-10 on the general classification, to everyone’s surprise. But a fall on the Tourmalet’s descent meant that he had to abandon that Tour, Miguel Indurain’s last.
That year, he was chosen Region de Murcia’s best sportsman.
1996 was going to be the year of his confirmation as one of the international peloton’s big names.
But, on June 21st, a fatal car crash cut short all the expectations. Mariano was going to the Spanish Road Championship by car when he suffered a serious accident. Two days later, he succumbed to his injuries and died at the Hospital Virgen de la Arrixaca, at the age of 23.
On 1997, we created the Memorial Mariano Rojas trophy, located on a Meta Volante of the course. Since then, it is been awarded on the final podium of every edition of the Vuelta Ciclista a la Región de Murcia.