▁Elli ott ▁was ▁first ▁English - spe aker ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁V uel ta ▁a ▁España , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁came ▁third ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁English - spe aker ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Om loop ▁" H et ▁Volk " ▁semi - class ic ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁when ▁Ian ▁St ann ard ▁won ▁the ▁race . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁unclear ▁circumstances ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 3 6 . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Elli ott ▁was ▁from ▁the ▁working ▁class ▁area ▁of ▁C rum lin ▁in ▁Dublin , ▁the ▁el dest ▁son ▁of ▁James ▁Elli ott , ▁a ▁mot ob ike ▁mechan ic , ▁and ▁Ellen , ▁always ▁known ▁as ▁Nell . ▁He ▁played ▁G ael ic ▁football ▁and ▁hur ling ▁and ▁didn ' t ▁learn ▁to ▁ride ▁a ▁b icy cle ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 4 . ▁He ▁used ▁it ▁to ▁ride ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Na as . ▁ ▁Am ateur ▁career ▁ ▁He ▁joined ▁a ▁small ▁cy cling ▁club , ▁St ▁Br end an ' s , ▁attached ▁to ▁St ▁Br end an ' s ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁C ool ock , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 6 ▁and ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁races ▁of ▁about ▁ 2 0 ▁miles ▁that ▁the ▁church ▁organ ised ▁around ▁the ▁city ▁streets . ▁He ▁came ▁second ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁race , ▁r iding ▁a ▁" sc rap " ▁bi ke ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁fixed ▁wheel ▁that ▁led ▁his ▁ped als ▁to ▁b