Francesco Moser facts for kids
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Moser at the 1978 Amstel Gold Race
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| Personal information | |||
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| Nickname | Checco Lo Sceriffo (The sheriff) |
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| Born | 19 June 1951 Palù di Giovo, Italy |
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| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb; 12 st 4 lb) | ||
| Team information | |||
| Current team | Retired | ||
| Discipline |
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| Role | Rider | ||
| Rider type | Time trialist Classics specialist |
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| Major wins | |||
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Francesco Moser (born June 19, 1951) is a famous Italian former professional road bicycle racer. People called him "Lo sceriffo," which means "The sheriff" in Italian. He was one of the best cyclists from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s.
Moser was very strong and won many races. He finished on the podium (top three) of the Giro d'Italia six times. He even won the entire race in 1984. He also won the World Road Racing Championship in 1977.
He was known for his powerful riding style. He won many important one-day races, including Paris–Roubaix three times in a row. He also won the Giro di Lombardia twice and Milan–San Remo once. Francesco Moser had 273 road victories in his career. This makes him one of the most successful cyclists ever.
Francesco Moser also had success in track cycling. He competed in many "Six-Day races" during the winter. He won 15 of these track races. His nephew, Moreno Moser, and his son, Ignazio Moser, also became cyclists.
Contents
Moser's Amazing Cycling Career
Francesco Moser became a professional cyclist in 1973. He had a smooth way of pedaling, but he was very strong. Because of his build, he wasn't the best climber in the mountains.
Grand Tour Achievements
Moser competed in the Tour de France only once, in 1975. He won two stages and wore the famous yellow jersey for six days. He finished 7th overall in that race.
He had more success in the Giro d'Italia, which is Italy's biggest cycling race. He won the Giro d'Italia in 1984. He was also the "points classification" winner four times (1976, 1977, 1978, 1982). This means he earned the most points for finishing well in stages.
Winning Classic Races
Moser loved the Paris–Roubaix race, which is famous for its rough cobblestone roads. He finished second twice before winning it three times in a row (1978, 1979, 1980). Only one other rider has more podium finishes in this tough race.
He also won other major one-day races:
- Giro di Lombardia in 1975 and 1978.
- Milan–San Remo in 1984.
- Paris–Tours in 1974.
- Züri-Metzgete in 1977.
- Gent–Wevelgem in 1979.
- La Flèche Wallonne in 1977.
World Championships and Olympic Games
Francesco Moser won the World Road Racing Championship in 1977 in Venezuela. He also earned silver medals in the World Championships in 1976 and 1978. He competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics in road cycling events.
Breaking the Hour Record
On January 19, 1984, Francesco Moser broke the hour record in Mexico City. This record is for the longest distance cycled in one hour. He rode 50.808 kilometers. A few days later, he broke his own record, riding 51.151 kilometers. He used a special aerodynamic bike with disc wheels. This bike was much more advanced than the one Eddy Merckx used to set the previous record in 1972.
Because of these new technologies, the rules for the hour record were changed later. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) decided that records set with special bikes would be separate. This meant Merckx's record was still considered the "traditional" one until 2000. Moser later sold his record-breaking bicycle to help UNICEF.
Life After Professional Cycling
After he stopped racing, Francesco Moser stayed busy.
Moser Cicli: Building Bikes
He started his own company, Moser Cicli, which makes racing bikes. His workshop is in Trento, Italy. They build thousands of bike frames each year.
Supporting Cyclists
Moser was also the first chairman of the CPA (Cyclistes Professionels Associés). This is a union that helps professional cyclists. He led the union from 1999 to 2007.
Growing Grapes and Hunting
Francesco Moser also became a grape farmer. He continued his family's winery with his children, Francesca, Carlo, and Ignazio. Their winery is on the family estate called Maso Villa Warth in Valle di Cembra. He also enjoys hunting and even hosted a TV show about it called "A Caccia con Moser" (Hunting with Moser).
Rivalries in Cycling
One of Francesco Moser's biggest rivals during his career was another Italian cyclist, Giuseppe Saronni. Their races were always exciting to watch.
More About Francesco Moser
- Walk of Fame of Italian sport
- Hour record
- Italy at the UCI Road World Championships
- List of Giro d'Italia classification winners
- List of Giro d'Italia general classification winners
- List of Grand Tour general classification winners
- Moser Cicli
- Pink jersey statistics
See also
In Spanish: Francesco Moser para niños
