Ercole Baldini

Ercole Baldini (born 26 January 1933) is a retired Italian cyclist. As an amateur he won an Olympic gold medal in the road race and the world title in the individual pursuit on track, both in 1956.[1] Next year he turned professional, and in 1958 won the world title in the road race and the Giro d'Italia. He continued competing on track and won bronze medals in the individual pursuit at the world championships of 1960 and 1964.[2]

Ercole Baldini
Baldini in 1956
Personal information
Full nameErcole Baldini
Born (1933-01-26) 26 January 1933
Villanova di Forlì, Italy
Team information
RoleRider
Professional teams
1957–1958Legnano
1959–1962Ignis–Frejus
1963Cynar–Frejus
1964Salvarani
Major wins
Grand Tours
Giro d'Italia
General classification (1958)

One-day races and Classics

Road Race World Championships (1958)
Italian National Road Race Championship (1957, 1958)
Medal record
Representing  Italy
Men's road bicycle racing
Olympic Games
1956 MelbourneIndividual road race
World Championships
1958 ReimsProfessional road race
Track cycling
World Championships
1956 CopenhagenIndividual pursuit, amateur
1960 GermanyIndividual pursuit, elite
1964 ParisIndividual pursuit, elite

Biography

Baldini was born at Villanova di Forlì (Emilia-Romagna).[1] At 21 he set the hour record for amateurs, with 44.870 km, gaining the nickname of Forlì train. His best year was 1956, in which he won a gold medal in the road race at the Summer Olympics in Melbourne, and, in September, stripped Jacques Anquetil of the hour record, riding 46.394 km at the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan.[1]

In 1957 he became professional and won six important races, including the Trofeo Baracchi alongside Fausto Coppi, and became Italian champion. In 1958 Baldini won the Giro d'Italia,[1] beating Charly Gaul on the latter's favourite terrain, climbing. He was again Italian champion and also won the World Cycling Championship.[2]

Baldini finished 6th in the 1959 Tour de France. His career ended in 1964 after surgery to a leg.[1]

Career achievements

Major results

Grand Tour general classification results timeline
Grand Tour 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964
Giro d'Italia 3 1 17 41 DNF 7 26 DNF
Tour de France — — 6 33 — 8 — DNF
Vuelta a España — — — — — — — —
Legend
— Did not compete
DNF Did not finish
DSQ Disqualified

See also
  • Legends of Italian sport - Walk of Fame

References
  1. Ercole Baldini Archived 18 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  2. Ercole Baldini. cyclingarchives.com
Records
Preceded by
Jacques Anquetil		 UCI hour record (46.394 km)
19 September 1956-18 September 1957		 Succeeded by
Roger Rivière
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