Peugeot (cycling team)
Encyclopedia
Peugeot team was a French
professional cycling team
that promoted and rode Peugeot racing bikes
.
It is listed as the most successful cycling team of all time, on www.cyclingranking.com, with a large margin on the second placed team, Alcyon
.
At the beginning of the century a Peugeot cycling team existed. Hippolyte Aucouturier rode Peugeot cycles when he won Paris–Roubaix and Bordeaux–Paris in 1903, and when he was disqualified from the 1904 Tour de France
in which he had finished 4th overall, for the illegal use of trains and cars.
But the Peugeot team obtained success for the following 4 years in the Tour de France
with Louis Trousselier, René Pottier
and Lucien Petit-Breton
. The Peugeot team finished second overall the 1912 Giro d'Italia
. The team would obtain two further victories in the Tour de France
with Belgian
Philippe Thys
before the outbreak of the First World War.
Directly after the war, Peugeot cycles was one of the companies that made a consortium that pooled their resources into a collective cycling team
called La Sportive
. The objective of forming such a consortium was to keep the sport alive in the poor post-war economic situation.
After 3 years of the La Sportive consortium, Peugeot re-established its separate cycling team, and with Belgian Firmin Lambot
won the 1922 Tour de France
. During this time the team was known as the Peugeot team, or sometimes the name of a co-sponsor was added, which occasionally was Wolber, Alcyon, Dunlop, Tedeschi, Bianchi-Pirelli.
From 1936 until 1955 the team was the Peugeot-Dunlop team. Yves Petit-Breton, (son of the two time Tour de France winner Lucien Petit-Breton
)would be a directeur sportif
of the team in 1956.
From 1948 to 1959 there was a Belgian
cycling team
which was also sponsored by Peugeot, called Elvé-Peugeot.
In 1958, Gaston Plaud became the directeur sportif
of Peugeot-BP, where he would stay until the mid seventies.
He would direct big names to success, such as Charly Gaul
, Pino Cerami, Ferdinand Bracke, Walter Godefroot
, Tom Simpson
, Jean-Pierre Danguillaume, and the early career of Eddy Merckx
.
In 1963 Team Peugeot adopted the black and white checkerboard design, that would be on their white jersey until the team retired from the sport, in 1986.
During this time the team achieved many successes, such as Tom Simpson
winning Bordeaux–Paris in 1963, Milan – San Remo in 1964, and then in 1965 becoming world champion with the team, and winning the Giro di Lombardia.
Eddy Merckx
rode his first 2 seasons with the team, and won Milan – San Remo twice, Gent–Wevelgem, La Flèche Wallonne
, a stage in the 1967 Giro d'Italia
, and the world championships road race with the team, in 1966. In 1967, the Tour de France
was disputed by national teams, and one of Peugeot's riders, Roger Pingeon
won the race. He would win the 1969 Vuelta a España
for the team. The team won the Vuelta a España
again, with Ferdinand Bracke
in 1971.
The name of the team changed in 1965 to Peugeot-BP Michelin, which it stayed until 1976, when Esso took the place of the second sponsor.
In 1982 Shell became the second sponsor, and until its finish the team was Peugeot-Shell-Michelin.
Maurice de Muer became directeur sportif with the team in 1975, and directed Bernard Thevenet
to beat Eddy Merckx
, in the 1975 Tour de France
. He directed the team until 1982. The last time the team would win the Tour de France
would be with Bernard Thevenet
, in 1977
.
In the late seventies and early eighties, the team signed many Anglophone riders. Many of these came from a Parisian Amateur club Athletic Club de Boulogne Billencourt
(ACBB) that acted as a feeder club for top amateurs to turn professional. Phil Anderson
, Robert Millar
, Stephen Roche
, Sean Yates
, and Allan Peiper
all started their careers with the Peugeot team. The last time that the team had the yellow jersey
of the Tour
was the 1983 Tour de France
when Pascal Simon
wore the jersey, but had to abandon the Tour, due to a broken collarbone. The team had its last chance at a Grand Tour
win in the 1985 edition of the Vuelta a España
with Robert Millar
. Millar was wearing the leader's yellow jersey on the penultimate day when Pedro Delgado
attacked him, to take the stage and the leader's jersey.
In its final year of existence (1986), the team was managed by Roger Legeay
, who would continue the team under the name of Z-Peugeot.
This team would change name again to GAN in 1994, and then to the Crédit Agricole team
, which was existing until the end of 2008.
Other directeur sportifs of the team, during its existence, included: Leon Van der Hulst, Roland Berland, Robert Naeye, Roger Moreau, Jean Lecocq, Camille Narcy, Serge Beucherie, and Jean-François Guiborel.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
professional cycling team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
that promoted and rode Peugeot racing bikes
Cycles Peugeot
Peugeot was a manufacturer in the French bicycle industry through the 20th century.-History:Peugeot was a French manufacturer of bicycles founded by Jean Pequignot Peugeot who, in the 19th century, made water mills...
.
It is listed as the most successful cycling team of all time, on www.cyclingranking.com, with a large margin on the second placed team, Alcyon
Alcyon (cycling team)
Alcyon is a former French professional cycling team that was active from 1906 to 1955. It was owned by Alcyon, a French bicycle, automobile and motorcycle manufacturer.- History :...
.
History
Peugeot cycles started producing bicycles in 1882, and from then on it was involved in sponsoring cyclists.At the beginning of the century a Peugeot cycling team existed. Hippolyte Aucouturier rode Peugeot cycles when he won Paris–Roubaix and Bordeaux–Paris in 1903, and when he was disqualified from the 1904 Tour de France
1904 Tour de France
The 1904 Tour de France was the second Tour de France, held from 2 July to 24 July. With a route similar to its previous edition, 1903 Tour de France winner Maurice Garin seemed to have repeated his win by a small margin over Lucien Pothier, while Hippolyte Aucouturier won four of the six stages...
in which he had finished 4th overall, for the illegal use of trains and cars.
But the Peugeot team obtained success for the following 4 years in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
with Louis Trousselier, René Pottier
René Pottier
René Pottier was a French racing cyclistPottier won Bordeaux–Paris in 1903 before turning professional. He came second in Paris–Roubaix 1905 and Bordeaux–Paris 1905, then third in 1906’s Paris–Roubaix, before winning the Tour de France in 1906.He was considered the finest climber of the Tour...
and Lucien Petit-Breton
Lucien Petit-Breton
Lucien Georges Mazan was a French racing cyclist .He was born in Plessé, Loire-Atlantique , a part of Brittany, now part of Pays de la Loire. When he was six he moved with his parents to Buenos Aires where he took Argentine nationality...
. The Peugeot team finished second overall the 1912 Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
. The team would obtain two further victories in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
with Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Philippe Thys
Philippe Thys
Philippe Thys was a Belgian cyclist and three times winner of the Tour de France.-Professional career:...
before the outbreak of the First World War.
Directly after the war, Peugeot cycles was one of the companies that made a consortium that pooled their resources into a collective cycling team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
called La Sportive
La Sportive (cycling team)
La Sportive is a former French professional cycling team from 1918 to 1921. It won the team classification in the Tour de France three times, in 1919–1921.-History:...
. The objective of forming such a consortium was to keep the sport alive in the poor post-war economic situation.
After 3 years of the La Sportive consortium, Peugeot re-established its separate cycling team, and with Belgian Firmin Lambot
Firmin Lambot
Firmin Lambot was a Belgian bicycle racer who twice won the Tour de France.Born in the small town of Florennes, Lambot worked as a saddler. He worked 12 hours a day, starting at 6am. He bought his first bicycle at 17 and began riding 50 km a day to and from work. His first race was in a local...
won the 1922 Tour de France
1922 Tour de France
The 1922 Tour de France was the 16th Tour de France, taking place June 25 to July 23, 1922. The 1922 Tour consisted of 15 stages covering a total of . The race was won by the Belgian cyclist Firmin Lambot...
. During this time the team was known as the Peugeot team, or sometimes the name of a co-sponsor was added, which occasionally was Wolber, Alcyon, Dunlop, Tedeschi, Bianchi-Pirelli.
From 1936 until 1955 the team was the Peugeot-Dunlop team. Yves Petit-Breton, (son of the two time Tour de France winner Lucien Petit-Breton
Lucien Petit-Breton
Lucien Georges Mazan was a French racing cyclist .He was born in Plessé, Loire-Atlantique , a part of Brittany, now part of Pays de la Loire. When he was six he moved with his parents to Buenos Aires where he took Argentine nationality...
)would be a directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
of the team in 1956.
From 1948 to 1959 there was a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
cycling team
Cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle races whether recreational or professional - and the supporting personnel...
which was also sponsored by Peugeot, called Elvé-Peugeot.
In 1958, Gaston Plaud became the directeur sportif
Directeur sportif
A directeur sportif is a person directing a cycling team during a road bicycle racing event...
of Peugeot-BP, where he would stay until the mid seventies.
He would direct big names to success, such as Charly Gaul
Charly Gaul
Charly Gaul was a professional cyclist. He was a national cyclo-cross champion, an accomplished time triallist and a better climber. His ability earned him the nickname of The Angel of the Mountains in the 1958 Tour de France, which he won with four stage victories...
, Pino Cerami, Ferdinand Bracke, Walter Godefroot
Walter Godefroot
Walter Godefroot is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer and former directeur sportif of , later known as T-Mobile Team, professional team....
, Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
, Jean-Pierre Danguillaume, and the early career of Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
.
In 1963 Team Peugeot adopted the black and white checkerboard design, that would be on their white jersey until the team retired from the sport, in 1986.
During this time the team achieved many successes, such as Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson
Tom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
winning Bordeaux–Paris in 1963, Milan – San Remo in 1964, and then in 1965 becoming world champion with the team, and winning the Giro di Lombardia.
Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
rode his first 2 seasons with the team, and won Milan – San Remo twice, Gent–Wevelgem, La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège...
, a stage in the 1967 Giro d'Italia
1967 Giro d'Italia
The 1967 Giro d'Italia of cycling, 50th edition of the Corsa Rosa, was held from 20 May to 11 June 1967. It consisted of 22 stages and was won by Felice Gimondi.- Final classment:- Maglia rosa holders:- Other jerseys:...
, and the world championships road race with the team, in 1966. In 1967, the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
was disputed by national teams, and one of Peugeot's riders, Roger Pingeon
Roger Pingeon
Roger Pingeon is a retired professional road bicycle racer from France. He raced as a professional from 1964 to 1974. In 1967, Pingeon won the Tour de France. In 1969, Pingeon won the Vuelta a España and came second behind Eddy Merckx in the Tour de France.-Major achievements:19641965...
won the race. He would win the 1969 Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
for the team. The team won the Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
again, with Ferdinand Bracke
Ferdinand Bracke
Ferdinand Bracke is a former Belgian professional road and track cyclist who is most famous for holding the World Hour Record and winning the overall title at the 1971 Vuelta a España in front of Wilfried David of Belgium and Luis Ocaña of Spain...
in 1971.
The name of the team changed in 1965 to Peugeot-BP Michelin, which it stayed until 1976, when Esso took the place of the second sponsor.
In 1982 Shell became the second sponsor, and until its finish the team was Peugeot-Shell-Michelin.
Maurice de Muer became directeur sportif with the team in 1975, and directed Bernard Thevenet
Bernard Thévenet
Bernard Thévenet, born 10 January 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, Saône-et-Loire, is a retired French bicycle racer. He is a two-time winner of the Tour de France and known for ending the reign of five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx...
to beat Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
, in the 1975 Tour de France
1975 Tour de France
The 1975 Tour de France was the 62nd Tour de France, taking place June 26 to July 20, 1975. It consisted of 22 stages over 3999 km, ridden at an average speed of 34.899 km/h. Eddy Merckx was attempting to win his sixth Tour de France, but became a victim of violence. Many Frenchmen were...
. He directed the team until 1982. The last time the team would win the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
would be with Bernard Thevenet
Bernard Thévenet
Bernard Thévenet, born 10 January 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, Saône-et-Loire, is a retired French bicycle racer. He is a two-time winner of the Tour de France and known for ending the reign of five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx...
, in 1977
1977 Tour de France
The 1977 Tour de France was the 64th Tour de France, taking place June 30 to July 24, 1977. The total race distance was 22 stages over 4096 km, with riders averaging 35.419 km/h....
.
In the late seventies and early eighties, the team signed many Anglophone riders. Many of these came from a Parisian Amateur club Athletic Club de Boulogne Billencourt
Athletic Club de Boulogne Billencourt
Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt or A.C.B.B. is a French sports club based in the suburbs of Paris in the commune of Boulogne-Billancourt. The club offers a variety of sports, but is primarily known for cycling, rugby union, judo, figure skating, and swimming...
(ACBB) that acted as a feeder club for top amateurs to turn professional. Phil Anderson
Phil Anderson
Philip Grant Anderson OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.-Origins:...
, Robert Millar
Robert Millar
Robert Millar is a former Scottish professional cyclist who won the “King of the Mountains” competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall – sharing the highest Tour position for a British cyclist with Bradley Wiggins, and the first time a Briton had won a major Tour...
, Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship...
, Sean Yates
Sean Yates
Sean Yates is an English former professional cyclist and head Directeur Sportif at Team Sky.-Career:Yates competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics, finishing sixth in the 4,000m individual pursuit. He also competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics...
, and Allan Peiper
Allan Peiper
Allan Peiper is a former Australian road cyclist, who competed in five Tour De France races, with the last being the 1992 Tour de France. He is now a directeur sportif with Team Columbia....
all started their careers with the Peugeot team. The last time that the team had the yellow jersey
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
of the Tour
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
was the 1983 Tour de France
1983 Tour de France
The 1983 Tour de France was the 70th Tour de France, run from 1 to 22 July 1982 in 22 stages and a prologue, over a total distance of 3862 km., won by French rider Laurent Fignon. Sean Kelly of Ireland won the green jersey, and Lucien Van Impe of Belgium won the polka dot jersey...
when Pascal Simon
Pascal Simon
Pascal Simon is a retired French road racing cyclist. A native of Mesnil St. Loup, he was a professional cyclist from 1979 to 1991. Pascal was the oldest of four brothers that all became professional cyclists: Régis, Jerôme and François.In 1983, Simon obtained the yellow jersey while riding for...
wore the jersey, but had to abandon the Tour, due to a broken collarbone. The team had its last chance at a Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
win in the 1985 edition of the Vuelta a España
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
with Robert Millar
Robert Millar
Robert Millar is a former Scottish professional cyclist who won the “King of the Mountains” competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall – sharing the highest Tour position for a British cyclist with Bradley Wiggins, and the first time a Briton had won a major Tour...
. Millar was wearing the leader's yellow jersey on the penultimate day when Pedro Delgado
Pedro Delgado
Pedro Delgado Robledo , also known as Perico, is a Spanish former professional road bicycle racer. He won the 1988 Tour de France, as well as the Vuelta a España in 1985 and 1989....
attacked him, to take the stage and the leader's jersey.
In its final year of existence (1986), the team was managed by Roger Legeay
Roger Legeay
Roger Legeay is a French former professional racing cyclist and the manager of Crédit Agricole cycling team. Legeay had managed the Peugeot cycling team in its last year of existence in 1986, before it was reinvented as Z-Peugeot. The team was renamed GAN in 1994 under new sponsorship and once...
, who would continue the team under the name of Z-Peugeot.
This team would change name again to GAN in 1994, and then to the Crédit Agricole team
Crédit Agricole (cycling team)
Crédit Agricole was a French professional cycling team managed by Roger Legeay and sponsored by the French bank, Crédit Agricole, since 1997. Before 1997 the team was known as GAN. Since 2005, the team is one of the 20 that compete in the UCI ProTour. Crédit Agricole announced that they would...
, which was existing until the end of 2008.
Other directeur sportifs of the team, during its existence, included: Leon Van der Hulst, Roland Berland, Robert Naeye, Roger Moreau, Jean Lecocq, Camille Narcy, Serge Beucherie, and Jean-François Guiborel.
Famous cyclists from the team
- Hippolyte Aucouturier
- Louis Trousselier
- René PottierRené PottierRené Pottier was a French racing cyclistPottier won Bordeaux–Paris in 1903 before turning professional. He came second in Paris–Roubaix 1905 and Bordeaux–Paris 1905, then third in 1906’s Paris–Roubaix, before winning the Tour de France in 1906.He was considered the finest climber of the Tour...
- Lucien Petit-BretonLucien Petit-BretonLucien Georges Mazan was a French racing cyclist .He was born in Plessé, Loire-Atlantique , a part of Brittany, now part of Pays de la Loire. When he was six he moved with his parents to Buenos Aires where he took Argentine nationality...
- Philippe ThysPhilippe ThysPhilippe Thys was a Belgian cyclist and three times winner of the Tour de France.-Professional career:...
- Eugène ChristopheEugene ChristopheEugène Christophe was a French road bicycle racer and pioneer of cyclo-cross. He was a professional from 1904 until 1926. In 1919 he became the first rider to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France .Eugène Christophe rode 11 Tours de France and finished eight...
- Firmin LambotFirmin LambotFirmin Lambot was a Belgian bicycle racer who twice won the Tour de France.Born in the small town of Florennes, Lambot worked as a saddler. He worked 12 hours a day, starting at 6am. He bought his first bicycle at 17 and began riding 50 km a day to and from work. His first race was in a local...
- Stan OckersStan OckersConstant Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he won the Classic "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year...
- Roger WalkowiakRoger WalkowiakRoger Walkowiak is a French former road bicycle racer who unexpectedly won the 1956 Tour de France. He was a professional rider from 1950 until 1960.-The 1956 Tour de France:...
- Rik Van SteenbergenRik Van SteenbergenRik Van Steenbergen was a Belgian racing cyclist, considered to be one of the best among the great number of successful Belgian cyclists.-Early life:...
- Charly GaulCharly GaulCharly Gaul was a professional cyclist. He was a national cyclo-cross champion, an accomplished time triallist and a better climber. His ability earned him the nickname of The Angel of the Mountains in the 1958 Tour de France, which he won with four stage victories...
- Jean de GribaldyJean de GribaldyJean de Gribaldy was a French road cyclist and directeur sportif.-Biography:Born in Besançon, former professional racing cyclist from 1945 to 1954, Jean de Gribaldy began a successful career as a directeur sportif in the mid-1960s .Called le Vicomte , he discovered Sean Kelly, Joaquim Agostinho...
- Ferdi Kübler
- Pino CeramiPino CeramiGiuseppe 'Pino' Cerami is a former Belgian road bicycle racer. He joined the professional peloton in 1946 as an independent. He was naturalised as a Belgian on 16 March 1956....
- Tom SimpsonTom SimpsonTom Simpson was the most successful English road racing cyclist of the post-war years. He infamously died of exhaustion on the slopes of Mont Ventoux during the 13th stage of the Tour de France in 1967...
- Roger PingeonRoger PingeonRoger Pingeon is a retired professional road bicycle racer from France. He raced as a professional from 1964 to 1974. In 1967, Pingeon won the Tour de France. In 1969, Pingeon won the Vuelta a España and came second behind Eddy Merckx in the Tour de France.-Major achievements:19641965...
- Eddy MerckxEddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
- Walter GodefrootWalter GodefrootWalter Godefroot is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer and former directeur sportif of , later known as T-Mobile Team, professional team....
- Ferdinand BrackeFerdinand BrackeFerdinand Bracke is a former Belgian professional road and track cyclist who is most famous for holding the World Hour Record and winning the overall title at the 1971 Vuelta a España in front of Wilfried David of Belgium and Luis Ocaña of Spain...
- Bernard ThevenetBernard ThévenetBernard Thévenet, born 10 January 1948, in Saint-Julien-de-Civry, Saône-et-Loire, is a retired French bicycle racer. He is a two-time winner of the Tour de France and known for ending the reign of five-time Tour champion Eddy Merckx...
- Hennie KuiperHennie KuiperHennie Kuiper is a Dutch former professional road racing cyclist. His career includes a gold medal in the Olympic road race at Munich in 1972, becoming world professional road race champion in 1975, as well as winning four of the five “Monument” classics...
- Pascal SimonPascal SimonPascal Simon is a retired French road racing cyclist. A native of Mesnil St. Loup, he was a professional cyclist from 1979 to 1991. Pascal was the oldest of four brothers that all became professional cyclists: Régis, Jerôme and François.In 1983, Simon obtained the yellow jersey while riding for...
- Phil AndersonPhil AndersonPhilip Grant Anderson OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.-Origins:...
- Gilbert Duclos-LassalleGilbert Duclos-LassalleGilbert Duclos-Lassalle is a former French professional road racing cyclist who was a specialist at one-day classic cycling races...
- Robert MillarRobert MillarRobert Millar is a former Scottish professional cyclist who won the “King of the Mountains” competition in the 1984 Tour de France and finished fourth overall – sharing the highest Tour position for a British cyclist with Bradley Wiggins, and the first time a Briton had won a major Tour...
- Stephen RocheStephen RocheStephen Roche is a retired professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming only the second cyclist to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia stage races, plus the World road race championship...
- Allan PeiperAllan PeiperAllan Peiper is a former Australian road cyclist, who competed in five Tour De France races, with the last being the 1992 Tour de France. He is now a directeur sportif with Team Columbia....
- Graham JonesGraham Jones (cyclist)Graham Jones is a former professional English road racing cyclist from Manchester, England. He rode in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. He is often described as one of the classiest riders that the UK has produced, but his career was hindered by being over raced in his early days, and by...
- Sean YatesSean YatesSean Yates is an English former professional cyclist and head Directeur Sportif at Team Sky.-Career:Yates competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics, finishing sixth in the 4,000m individual pursuit. He also competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics...
- Ronan PensecRonan PensecRonan Pensec is a former French professional road bicycle racer. He was professional from 1985 to 1997. He became professional with the Peugeot cycling team. His best performances in the Tour de France were in the first editions he competed in, where he finished sixth in the 1986 edition and...
Important victories
- Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
General ClassificationGeneral ClassificationThe general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1913, 1914, 1922, 1967, 1975, 1977 - Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a EspañaThe Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages...
General ClassificationGeneral ClassificationThe general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
1948, 1969, 1971 World Road Race Championship 1957, 1965, 1967 World Cyclo-Cross Championship 1961, 1963 Road Race Championship 1907, 1908, 1920, 1962, 1973, 1975, 1976 Cyclo-Cross Championship 1913, 1914, 1960 Road Race Championship 1908, 1909, 1910 Road Race Championship 1965, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1978 Cyclo-Cross Championship 1961, 1963 Road Race Championship 1957, 1972 Road Race Championship 1936 Cyclo-Cross Championship 1964, 1967, 1968 Road Race Championship 1914, 1924, 1948, 1949 Road Race Championship 1984 Road Race Championship 1948 Road Race Championship 1984 - Milan – San Remo 1907, 1914, 1918, 1964, 1966, 1967
- Paris–Roubaix 1904, 1905, 1907, 1913, 1963
- Amstel Gold RaceAmstel Gold RaceThe Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
1983 - Liège–Bastogne–Liège 1949, 1957, 1967
- Grand Prix des NationsGrand Prix des NationsThe Grand Prix des Nations was an individual time trial for professional racing cyclists. Held annually in France, it was instituted in 1932 and often regarded as the unofficial time trial championship of the world and as a Classic cycle race. The race was the idea of a Parisian newspaper editor...
1949, 1962 - Paris–Tours 1906, 1907, 1914, 1917, 1951, 1970
- Giro di Lombardia 1907, 1908, 1917, 1951, 1970