Ercole Baldini

Ercole Baldini (26 January 1933 – 1 December 2022) was an 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. 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.

Biography
Baldini was born at Villanova di Forlì. 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.

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, beating Charly Gaul on the latter's favourite terrain, climbing. He was again Italian champion and also won the World Cycling Championship.

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

Death
Baldini died in his home in Villanova on 1 December 2022, at the age of 89.

Major results

 * 1953
 * 3rd Piccolo Giro di Lombardia


 * 1954
 * 1st Targa D’Oro Città di Legnano
 * World hour record (Amateurs) – 44.90km


 * 1956
 * 1st Gold medal.svg Olympic Games Road Race
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Individual Pursuit)
 * 1st Jersey italianflag.svg National Track Cycling Championships (Individual Pursuit)
 * 1st Milano–Bologna
 * 1st Manx International
 * World hour record – 46.39km


 * 1957
 * 1st Jersey italianflag.svg National Road Championship, Road Race
 * 1st Coppa Brescia
 * 1st Pescara Criterium
 * 1st Giro della Romagna
 * 1st Giro del Lazio
 * 1st GP de Lugano
 * 1st Trofeo Baracchi (with Fausto Coppi)
 * 2nd Tre Valli Varesine
 * 2nd Grand Prix des Nations
 * 2nd Vezzola Criterium
 * 2nd GP Martini
 * 2nd Cenon Criterium
 * 3rd Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 1st Stage 12
 * 3rd Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria
 * 3rd Parma Criterium


 * 1958
 * 1st Jersey rainbow.svg UCI Road World Championships, Road Race
 * 1st Jersey italianflag.svg National Road Championship, Road Race
 * 1st Jersey pink.svg Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 1st Stages 2, 8, 15 & 17
 * 1st Trofeo Matteotti
 * 1st GP Industria e Commercio di Prato
 * 1st Trofeo Baracchi (with Aldo Moser)
 * 1st Coppa Collecchio
 * 1st Castrocaro Terme
 * 1st Forlì Criterium
 * 1st Riccione Criteriym
 * 1st Stages 3b & 6a Roma–Napoli–Roma
 * 2nd GP Martini
 * 2nd Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria
 * 2nd San Maria Vezzola
 * 2nd Valeggio sul Mincio
 * 5th Desgrange-Colombo


 * 1959
 * 1st Castrocaro Terme
 * 1st GP Faema
 * 1st Giro dell'Emilia
 * 1st Trofeo Baracchi (with Aldo Moser)
 * 2nd Bol d'Or des Monédières
 * 2nd GP de Lugano
 * 3rd Trofeo Longines
 * 6th Overall Tour de France
 * 1st Stage 18


 * 1960
 * 1st Grand Prix des Nations
 * 2nd Giro dell'Appennino
 * 2nd Trofeo Baracchi
 * 2nd Castrocaro Terme
 * 3rd UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Individual Pursuit)
 * 3rd GP de Lugano
 * 3rd Giro del Veneto


 * 1961
 * 1st Trofeo Moschini
 * 1st Trofeo Baracchi (with Joseph Velly)
 * 1st GP d'Europe
 * 2nd Ravenna Criterium
 * 2nd Castrocaro Terme
 * 3rd GP du Parisien
 * 3rd Coppa Agostoni
 * 8th Bordighera Criterium


 * 1962
 * 1st Ponte di Piave
 * 2nd Castrocaro Terme
 * 2nd Coppa Sabatini
 * 2nd GP de Lugano
 * 2nd Trofeo Baracchi
 * 3rd Giro della Romagna
 * 4th GP Alghero
 * 7th Overall Giro d'Italia
 * 7th Giro di Lombardia
 * 7th Giro del Lazio
 * 8th Overall Tour de France


 * 1963
 * 1st Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria
 * 1st Criterium dei Campioni
 * 1st Coppa Placci
 * 1st Castrocaro Terme
 * 3rd Overall Giro del Trentino


 * 1964
 * 2nd Trofeo Baracchi
 * 3rd UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Individual Pursuit)