Before Egan Bernal, Felice Gimondi was the youngest cyclist to have brought the Maillot Jaune to Paris, at the age of 22 years, 9 months and 15 days, precisely three months more than the Colombian. Three years after his precocious win in the 1965 Tour de France, the Italian became the second athlete after Jacques Anquetil to win all three Grand Tours as he clinched La Vuelta 68. The man, as much as the rider, was classy. He passed away at the age of 76.
The 1968 La Vuelta remained as one of the most enthralling editions of that decade. It was a Spring marked by many social protests and the race ended up with a duel between Italy’s Felice Gimondi and Spain’s José Pérez Francès after Dutchman Jan Janssen, Germany’s Rudi Altig, Briton Michael Wright and Spain’s Manuel Martín Piñera wore the Amarillo jersey. Gimondi took over from Pérez Francès throughout an attack 50km away from the Vitoria in stage 14 that started in Santander in the home region of the race leader. Like at the 1965 Tour de France, Gimondi held onto the first place overall until the end in Bilbao and increased his advantage against the clock. From an 11 seconds deficit, Pérez Francès lost La Vuelta by 2’15’’ after the individual time trial from San Sebastian to Tolosa.
By 1968, the cyclist from the province of Bergamo who was born in Sedrina during WWII on 29 September 1942 was already an accomplished champion. One year after he’d won the Tour de l’Avenir, he claimed his first Tour de France that he was not scheduled to race until his team-mate Bruno Fantinato, hampered by a knee injury, told legendary sport director Luciano Pezzi that he’d better leave his spot to another rider from the Salvarani team. Before La Vuelta, Gimondi had already won the 1967 Giro d’Italia (before repeating it in 1969 and 1976).
Furthermore, he experienced the years of the absolute domination by Eddy Merckx but he was so consistent that only Anquetil has finished more often than him on the podium of the Grand Tours with 13 top 3 overall. Like Merckx and Bernard Hinault, Gimondi has been on the final picture twelve times. He also bagged the 1973 world championship and the 1966 Paris-Roubaix.
After his career, Gimondi represented the Bianchi bicycles and extended the presence of the brand in mountain-biking. He was a very cordial person, an ambassador for his brand and the sport of cycling. He was a big friend of Merckx after having been his rival. La Vuelta and the cycling community offer their condolences to his family members and friends.
