19 Facts About Felice Gimondi

Felice Gimondi was an Italian professional racing cyclist.

Felice Gimondi is one of only seven cyclists to have done so.

Felice Gimondi won three of the five Cycling monuments, winning the Giro di Lombardia twice, and finished on the podium of a grand tour twelve times.

Felice Gimondi accomplished all of these major victories despite his career coinciding with that of Eddy Merckx.

Felice Gimondi was born on 29 September 1942 in Sedrina in the Province of Bergamo.

Felice Gimondi was the son of a transport manager and a post mistress.

In 1964, Felice Gimondi rode the road race at the 1964 Olympic Games, where he finished in 33rd place.

Felice Gimondi took the yellow jersey on stage 3, but lost the race lead later when he waited for his nominal team captain Vittorio Adorni.

Adorni later dropped out, leaving Felice Gimondi to fight out the overall victory with Raymond Poulidor, securing the Tour in the final time trial.

Felice Gimondi's career coincided for the most part with that of highly-successful Eddy Merckx.

However, Felice Gimondi was able to build up a respectable palmares himself, even through the era of Merckx' dominance.

Felice Gimondi won the Giro a further two times, first in 1969.

In 1976, Felice Gimondi was not counted among the favourites, being regarded as past his prime, but overcame a deficit on race leader Johan De Muynck in the final time trial to take his third victory in the race.

Felice Gimondi's success was called the "miracle in Milan".

Felice Gimondi had already placed third in 1970 and second in 1971.

Felice Gimondi failed twice to pass doping controls, first in the 1968 Giro d'Italia and then at the 1975 Tour de France.

Felice Gimondi served as manager for Bianchi's mountain-bike team for a long period of time.

In 1968, Felice Gimondi married Tiziana Bersano, with whom he had two daughters, Norma and Federica.

Felice Gimondi died on 16 August 2019 after suffering a heart attack while swimming on vacation in Sicily.