Felice Gimondi!
Felice Gimondi (Sedrina, September 29, 1942) is a former Italian road cyclist. Professional from 1965 to 1979, is one of five riders to have won the triple crown, that is to win all three Grand Tours: Tour de France, Giro d'Italy and the Vuelta a España. And then, along with Eddy Merckx is the only rider to have won the Giro, Vuelta and Tour stage races and Paris-Roubaix, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Lombardy and the world championship for the classic one day ..
He was able to get a number of important successes in spite of his career coincided largely with that of the "Cannibal" Merckx. Compared to the Flemish still had greater longevity at the highest levels had started to win before the Tour de France 1965, and completed in 1976, his last great season as a protagonist, with victory in the Tour of Italy and the Paris-Brussels.
The tile on the wall of autographed Gimondi AlassioDivenne professional in 1965, starting to run with the Salvarani Luciano Pezzi, where he remained until 1973. In that year went to White, directed by Giancarlo Ferretti, who had been his wingman to Salvarani.
His professional career began immediately with a big win, the Tour de France 1965. The following year saw him winning the classic North, Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Brussels. During his career he won numerous classics and stage races, winning the world title in Barcelona 1973.
In Barcelona, the Circuit Montjuich, was a hot day. Merckx was the clear favorite at the start but in a completely unexpected win Gimondi. Merckx on lap launched a furious attack, Gimondi was able to answer him taking the wheel and Spanish Perurena Ocaña, team-mate Giovanni Battaglin, Dutch Zoetemelk and strong Belgian Freddy Maertens. Gimondi passed the wire Maertens, pledged to run away from the sprint to the captain Eddy Merckx, the latter inexplicably not follow the work of the young fellow, thus promoting the success of Italian.
He ended his career on the road in 1978 with the Giro dell'Emilia. His last appearance was as an athlete in a Six-Day in February 1979. He won 141 races.
To have often placed behind Eddy Merckx has sometimes been called the eternal second, but was also the main rival and antagonist of the more combative Belgian champion. At its height with Merckx's songs are dedicated Gimondi and cannibal Enrico Ruggeri and I am happy Elio e le Storie Tese.
Gianni Brera, who described the business, he coined the nicknames Felix de Worlds and Red Cloud .
