Jacques Anquetil — French time-trial master and five-time Tour winner

Career highlights

Anquetil’s major successes included overall victories in the Tour de France (1957, 1961–1964), the Giro d'Italia (1960 and 1964) and the Vuelta a España (1963). These wins made him the first rider to complete victories in each of cycling’s three great stage races — often referred to as the Grand Tours. In 1956 he set a new hour record, covering 46.159 kilometres, a mark that underlined his strength against the clock.

Riding style and strengths

Nicknamed "Monsieur Chrono," Anquetil excelled in long, sustained efforts and short solo breakaways. He was not primarily a pure climber but combined controlled time-trialling with shrewd team tactics and race reading. His approach favored consistent power, aerodynamic advantage for the era, and careful management of stage objectives.

Legacy and significance

Anquetil reshaped expectations about how to win grand tours, showing that time gains in solo efforts and on the clock could decide three-week races. His five Tour wins stood as a benchmark later matched by riders such as Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. Beyond palmarès, he became a cultural figure in France and influenced training and racing strategies for generations.

Personal and later life

Born in Mont-Saint-Aignan in Normandy, Anquetil remained connected to the region after his retirement and public life. He died in Rouen in 1987 from stomach cancer. His career is remembered for technical mastery of the clock, a collection of major stage-race victories and a lasting impact on professional cycling.

Major achievements

• Five overall victories in the Tour de France
• Two wins in the Giro d'Italia and one Vuelta a España title
• 1956 hour record