16 Facts About Jacques Marinelli

Jacques Marinelli was born on 15 December 1925 and is a French former cyclist.

Jacques Marinelli wore the yellow jersey of leadership for six days in the 1949 Tour de France before finishing third.

Jacques Marinelli's body is no thicker than a propelling pencil, his legs no thicker than runner beans.

Jacques Marinelli was so thin and sickly-looking as a boy that his mother urged him to play accordion rather than ride a bike.

Jacques Marinelli nevertheless raced and came to prominence in the Trophees Peugeot.

Jacques Marinelli rode the Tour six times between 1948 and 1954 but finished only in 1949 and in 1952, when he came 31st.

Jacques Marinelli became the first rider in the Tour to write a column for L'Equipe, in 1949.

Jacques Marinelli became known as la perruche during the 1949 Tour.

Jacques Marinelli exchanged the green jersey of the Ile-de-France for the yellow of leader.

Jacques Marinelli rode above himself and exploited the rivalry between Coppi and Bartali to keep the lead for another five days, as far as the Pyrenees.

Jacques Marinelli still has the yellow jersey, although it has been eaten by moths.

Jacques Marinelli stopped racing at 28 to run a cycle shop and then an electrical-goods shop in the place St-Jean at Melun, in Greater Paris.

Jacques Marinelli then became director of a branch of Conforama, a furniture chain, in the town and ran a company called Marinelli Connexion, which had 150 employees and ran delivery vehicles painted yellow.

Jacques Marinelli was given the Prix Jean-Claude Killy in 1986 by the Academie des Sports for his success in starting a new life after sport.

Jacques Marinelli was elected mayor of Melun in 1989 and again in 1995.

Jacques Marinelli was instrumental in bringing the Tour to his town in 1991 and 1998.