Felice Gimondi
He rose from an unknown substitute to Tour de France champion in his first attempt, becoming one of only seven riders to conquer all three Grand Tours.
1942–2019 (age 77)·Italian cyclist·Birthday: September 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Felice Gimondi's cycling career reads like a fairy tale interrupted by a fierce rivalry. In 1965, the young Italian was a last-minute substitute on his team for the Tour de France, a race he was supposed to merely observe. Instead, with a style marked by elegant pedaling and tactical intelligence, he won the whole thing, wearing the yellow jersey into Paris. Dubbed 'The Phoenix' for his rise from obscurity, he confirmed his talent by winning the Giro d'Italia the next year and completing the set with a Vuelta a España victory in 1968. His era, however, was defined by his epic duels with the Belgian champion Eddy Merckx. Gimondi was often the runner-up, but his victories against 'The Cannibal'—notably at the 1973 World Championship and the 1974 Milan-San Remo—were legendary. He competed with a quiet dignity and remarkable consistency, securing his place not just as a winner of cycling's biggest races, but as a respected and enduring champion of the sport.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Felice was born in 1942, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Felice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1942
#1 Movie
Bambi
Best Picture
Mrs. Miniver
Felice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1942Born
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1947Started school
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Became a teenager
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Could drive
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1960Could vote
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Turned 21
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1972Turned 30
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 40
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 50
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 60
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 70
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2019Died at 77
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Won the Tour de France in 1965 in his first-ever participation in the race.
- Secured victory in the Giro d'Italia in 1967, 1969, and 1976.
- Captured the Vuelta a España in 1968, becoming the second rider to win all three Grand Tours.
- Became the road race World Champion in 1973, outsprinting Eddy Merckx.
- Won cycling's monument classic Milan-San Remo three times (1974, 1976, 1979).
Did You Know?
His nickname 'The Phoenix' (Fenice in Italian) was given after his astonishing Tour de France win from nowhere.
He served in the Italian military's sports group, the Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Gialle.
After retirement, he worked as a television commentator for RAI, Italy's national public broadcaster.
He famously used a 54-tooth chainring, larger than standard, for time trials and flat stages.
“I have won the Tour, the Giro, and the World Championship, but Merckx was something else.”
