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World Professional Road Cycling Championship

Thanks to Mauro Mondonico (Concorezzo, Italy) and Chuck Schmidt (South Pasadena, California, www.velo-retro.com) for their help in providing this information.

Click on a highlighted year for more detailed information on that year's race.

1927. Nurburgring, Germany. July 21

Distance:182.48km
Time: 6h 37m 29s
Average speed: 27.645 km/hr
55 starting riders, 18 finished

1. Alfredo Binda (Italy) (Photo)
2. Costante Girardengo (Italy) @ 7-15 (Photo)
3. Domenico Piemontesi (Italy)

1928. Budapest, Hungary. August 16

Distance: 192 km
Time: 6h. 20m 10s
Average speed: 30.302 km/hr
16 starting riders, 8 finshed.

1. Georges Ronsee (Belgium)
2. Herbert Nebe (Denmark) @ 19-43
3. Bruno Wolke (Germany)

1929. Zurich, Switzerland. August 16

Distance: 200 km
Time: 6h 48m 05s
21 starting riders, 16 finshed.
Average speed: 29.405 km/hr

1. Georges Ronsee (Belgium)
2. Nicolas Frantz (Luxembourg)
3. Alfredo Binda (Italy)

1930. Liege, Belgium. August 30

Distance: 210 km.
Time: 7h 30m 45s
Average speed: 27.953 km/hr
26 riders started, 17 finshed.

1. Alfredo Binda (Italy)
2. Learco Guerra (Italy)
3. Georges Ronsee (Belgium)

1931. Copenhagen, Denmark. August 26

Distance: 170 km
Time: 4h 53m 43s
Average speed: 34.727 km/hr
17 riders atarted, 17 finshed

1. Learco Guerra (Italy)
2. Ferdinand Le Drogo (France) @ 5-17
3. Albert Buchi (Switzerland)

1932. Rome, Italy. August 31

Distance: 206.100 km
Time: 7h 01m 28s
Average speed: 29,340 km/hr
21 riders started, 14 finshed

1. Alfredo Binda (Italy)
2. Remo Bertoni (Italy) @ 5m
3. Nicolas Frantz (Luxembourg)

1933. Monthlery, France. August 14

Distance: 250 km
Time: 7h 08m 58s
Average speed: 34.967 km/hr
28 riders stared, 13 finshed

1. Georges Speicher (France)
2. Antonin Magne (France) @ 5-03
3. Marinus Lalenntijn (Netherlands)

1934. Leipzig, Germany. August 18.

Distance: 225.600 km
Time: 5h 56m 15.8s
Average Speed 37.994 km/hr
26 riders started, 15 finshed

1. Karel Kaers (Belgium)
2. Learco Guerra (Italy)
3. Gustave Daneels (Belgium)

1935. Floreffe, Belgium. August 18

Distance: 216 km
Time: 6h 05m19s
Average speed: 35.476 km/hr
26 riders started, 12 finished

1. Jean Aerts (Belgium)
2. Luciano Montero (France) @ 2-55
3. Gustave Daneels (Belgium)

1936. Berne, Switazerland. September 6.

Distance: 218 km
Time: 5h 53m. 32s
Average speed: 36.997 km/hr
39 riders started, 9 finished

1. Antonin Magne (France)
2. Aldo Bini (Italy) @ 9-27
3. Theo Middlekamp (Netherlands)

1937. Copenhagen, Denmark. August 23

Distance: 297.500 km
Time: 7h 59m 48s
Average speed: 37.203 km/hr
34 riders started, 8 finshed

1. Eloi Meulenberg (Belgium)
2. Emil Kijewski (Denamrk)
3. Paul Egli (Switzerland)

1938. Valkenburg, Netherlands. September 5

Distance: 273 km
Time: 7h 53m 25s
Average speed: 34.599 km/hr
36 riders started, 8 finshed

1. Marcel Kint (Belgium)
2. Paul Egli (Switzerland)
3. Leo Amberg (Switzerland)

1939-1945:No championships held

1946. Zurich, Switzerland. September 1

Distance: 270 km
Time 7h 24m 28s
Average speed: 36.448 km/hr
30 riders started, 17 finished.

1. Hans Knecht (Switzerland)
2. Marcel Kint (Belgium) @ 10s
3. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium)

1947. Reims, France. August 3

Distance: 274.035 km
Time: 7h 28m 17s
Average speed: 36.677 km/hr
31 riders started, 7 finished

1. Theo Middlekamp (Netherlands)
2. Albert Sercu (Belgium) @ 10s
3. Jef Jansen (Netherlands)

1948. Valkenburg, Netherlands. August 22

Distance: 266.800 km
Time: 7h 30m 42s
Average speed: 35.517 km/hr
37 riders started, 10 finished

1. Alberic Schotte (Belgium)
2. Apo Lazaridee (France)
3. Lucien Teisseire (France)

1949. Copenhagen, Denmark. August 21

Distance: 290 km
Time: 7h 33m 44s
Average speed: 38.013 km/hr
35 riders started, 22 finshed.

1. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium)
2. Ferdi Kubler (Switzerland)
3. Fausto Coppi (Italy)

1950. Moorslede, Belgium. August 20.

Distance: 284 km
Time: 7h 49m 54s
Average speed: 36.263 km/hr
40 riders started, 12 finshed.

1. Alberic Schotte (Belgium)
2. Theo Middlekamp (Netherlands) @ 59s
3. Ferdi Kubler (Switzerland)

1951. Varese, Italy. September 2

Distance: 295.200 km
Time: 8h 28m 28s
Average speed: 34.834 km/hr
46 riders started, 24 finshed.

1. Ferdi Kubler (Switzerland)
2. Fiorenzo Magni (Italy)
3. Antonio Bevilacqua (Italy)

1952. Luxembourg. August 24.

Distance: 280 km
Time: 7h 05m 51.4s
Average speed: 39.449 km/hr
48 riders started, 38 finshed.

1. Heinz Muller (Germany)
2. Gottfried Wellenmann (Switzerland)
3. Ludwig Hoermann (Germany)

1953. Lugano, Switzerland. August 30

Distance: 270 km
Time: 7h 30m 59s
Average speed: 39.449 km/hr
70 riders started, 27 finshed.

1. Fausto Coppi (Italy)
2. Germain Derijcke (Belgium) @ 6-16
3. Stan Ockers (Belgium)

1954. Solingen-Klingenring, Germany. August 22

Distance: 240 km
Time: 7h 24m 36s
Average speed: 35.921 km/hr
71 riders started, 22 finshed

1. Louison Bobet (France)
2. Fritz Schaer (Switzerland)
3. Charly Gaul (Luxembourg)

1955. Frascati, Italy. August 28

Distance: 293.132 km
Time: 8h 43m 33s
Average speed: 33.593 km/hr
65 riders started, 20 finished

1. Stan Ockers (Belgium)
2. Jean-Pierre Schmitz (Luxembourg) @ 1-01
3. Germain Derijcke ( Belgium)

1956. Ballerup, Denmark. August 26.

Distance: 285.120 km
Time: 7h 26m 15s
Average speed: 38.335
71 riders started, 27 finished

1. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium)
2. Rik Van Looy (Belgium)
3. Gerrit Schulte (Netherlands)

1957. Waregem, Belgium. August 18

Distance: 285.600 km
Time: 7h 43m 10s
Average speed: 36.997 km/hr
70 riders started, 34 finished

1. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium)
2. Louison Bobet (France)
3. Andre Darrigade (France)

1958. Reims-Gueux, France. August 31

Distance: 276.964 km
Time 7h 29 m 32 s
Average speed: 36.966 km/hr
67 riders started, 25 finshed

1. Ercole Baldini (Italy)
2. Louison Bobet (France) @ 2-09
3. Andre Darrigade

1959. Zandvoort, Netherlands. August 16

Distance: 292.033 km
Time: 7h 30m 43s
Average speed: 38.875
69 riders started, 44 finshed.

1. Andre Darrigade (France)
2. Michele Gismondi (Italy)
3. Noel Fore (Belgium)

1960. Hohenstein-Saschenring, East Germany (DDR). August 14

Distance: 279.392 km
Time: 7h 47m 27s
Average speed: 35.861 km/hr
67 riders started, 32 finshed

1. Rik Van Looy (Belgium)
2. Andre Darrigade (France)
3. Pino Cerami (Belgium)

1961. Bern-Bremgarten, Switzerland. September 3

Distance: 285.252
Time: 7h 46m 35s
Average Speed: 35.861 km/hr
71 riders started, 32 finished

1. Rik Van Looy (Belgium)
2. Nino Defilippis (Italy)
3. Raymond Poulidor (France)

1962. Salo, Italy. September 2

Distance: 296.240 km
Time: 7h 34m 11s
Average speed: 38.374 km/hr
69 riders started, 36 finished

1. Jean Stablinski (France)
2. Seamus Elliot (Ireland) @ 1-22
3. Joseph Hoevenaars (Belgium)

1963. Renaix/Ronse, Belgium. August 11

Distance: 278.800 km
Time: 7h 25m 26 s
Average Speed: 37.544 km/hr
70 riders started, 36 finished

1. Benoni Beheyt (Belgium)
2. Rik Van Steenbergen (Belgium)
3. Jo De Haan (Netherlands)

1964. Sallanches, France. September 6

Distance: 290 km
Time: 7h 35m 52 s
Average speed: 38.669 km/hr
62 riders started, 40 finished

1. Jan Janssen (Netherlands)
2. Vittorio Adorni (Italy)
3. Raymond Poulidor (France)

1965. Lasarte, Spain. September 5

Distance: 264.400 km
Time: 6h 38m 19s
Average speed: 38.669 km/hr
74 riders started, 56 finished

1. Tom Simpson (Great Britain)
2. Rudi Altig (Germany)
3. Roger Swerts (Belgium)

1966. Nurburgring, Germany. August 28

Distance: 273.720 km
Time: 7h 31m 10 s
Average speed: 36.401 km/hr
74 riders started, 22 finished

1. Rudi Altig (Germany)
2. Jacques Anquetil (France)
3. Raymond Poulidor (France)

1967. Heerlen, Netherlands. September 3

Distance: 265.180 km
Time: 6h 44m 42s
Average speed: 39.315 km/hr
70 riders started, 45 finished

1. Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
2. Jan Janssen (Netherlands)
3. Ramon Saez (Spain)

1968. Imola, Italy. September 1

Distance: 277.318 km
Time: 7h 27m 39m
Average speed: 37.169 km/hr
85 riders started, 19 finished

1. Vittorio Adorni
2. Herman Van Springel (Belgium)
3. Michele Dancelli (Italy)

1969. Zolder, Belgium. August 10

Distance: 262.860 km
Time: 6h 23m 44s
Average speed: 41.100 km/hr
91 riders started, 62 finished

1. Harm Ottenbros (Netherlands)
2. Julien Stevens (Belgium)
3. Michele Dancelli (Italy)

1970. Leicester, Great Britain. August 16.

Distance: 271.160 km
Time: 6h 33m 58s
Average speed: 41.418 km/hr
95 riders started, 69 finished

1. Jean Pierre Monsere (Belgium)
2. Leif Mortensen (Denmark)
3. Felice Gimondi (Italy)

1971. Mendrisio, Switzerland. September 5.

Distance: 268.800 km
Time 6h 39m 06 s
Average speed: 40.410 km/hr
93 riders started, 57 finished.

1. Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
2. Felice Gimondi (Italy)
3. Cyrille Guimard (France)

1972. Gap, France. August 6.

Distance: 272.564 km
Time: 7h 05m 59s
Average speed: 38.392 km/hr
89 riders started, 42 finished

1. Marino Basso (Italy)
2. Franco Bitossi (Italy)
3. Cyrille Guimard (France)

1973. Barcelona, Spain. September 2.

Distance: 248.600 km
Time: 6h 31m 26s
Average speed: 38.106 km/hr
87 riders started, 39 finished.

1. Felice Gimondi (Italy)
2. Freddy Maertens (Belgium)
3. Luis Ocana (Spain)

1974. Montreal, Canada. August 25.

Distance: 262.500 km
Time: 6h 52m 22s
Average speed: 38.194 km/hr
66 riders started, 18 finished

1. Eddy Merckx (Belgium)
2. Raymond Poulidor (France)
3. Mariano Martinez (France)

1975. Yvoir, Belgium. August 31.

Distance: 266 km
Time: 6h 39m 19s
Average speed: 39.968 km/hr
79 riders started, 28 finished

1. Hennie Kuiper (Netherlands)
2. Roger De Vlaeminck (Belgium) @ 17s
3. Jean-Pierre Danguillaume (France)

1976. Ostuni, Italy. Septemebr 5.

Distance: 288 km
Time: 7h 06m 10s
Average speed: 40.547 km/hr
77 riders started, 53 finished

1. Freddy Maertens (Belgium)
2. Francesco Moser (Italy)
3. Tino Conti (Italy) @ 11s

1977. San Cristobal, Venezuela. September 4

Distance: 255 km
Time: 6h 36m 24s
Average speed: 38.597 km/hr
89 riders started, 33 finished

1. Francesco Moser (Italy)
2. Dietrich Thurau (Germany)
3. Franco Bitossi (Italy)

1978. Nurburgring, Germany. August 27.

Distance: 273.720 km
Time: 7h 32m 04s
Average speed: 36.329 km/hr

1. Gerrie Knetemann (Netherlands)
2. Francesco Moser (Italy)
3. Jorgen Marcussen (Denmark)

1979. Valkenburg, Netherlands. August 25.

Distance: 274.800 km
Time: 7h 03m 09s
Average speed: 38.965 km/hr

1. Jan Raas (Netherlands)
2. Dietrich Thurau (Germany)
3. Rene Bernaudea (France)

1980. Sallenches, France

Distance: 268 km
Time: 7h 32m 16s
Average speed: 35.554

1. Bernard Hinault (France)
2. Gian B. Baronchelli (Italy) @ 1-01
3. Juan Fernandez (Spain)

1981. Prague, Czechoslovakia

Distance: 281.400 km
Time: 7h 21m 59 s
Average speed: 38.200 km/hr

1. Freddy Maertens (Belgium)
2. Giuseppe Saronni (Italy)
3. Bernard Hinault (France)

1982. Goodwood, England

1. Giuseppe Saronni (Italy)
2. Greg Lemond (USA)
3. Sean Kelly (Ireland)

1983. Alterheim

1. Greg Lemond (USA)
2. Van der Poel (Netherlands)
3. Stephen Roche (Ireland)

1984. Barcelona, Spain

1. Claude Criquielion (Belgium)
2. Claudio Corti (Italy)
3. Steve Bauer (Canada)

1985. Montello

1. Joop Zoetemelk (Netherlands)
2. Greg Lemond (USA)
3. Moreno Argentin (Italy)

1986. Colorado Springs, USA

1. Moreno Argentin (Italy)
2. Charly Mottet (France)
3. Giuseppe Saronni (Italy)

1987. Villach, Austria

1. Stephen Roche (Ireland)
2. Moreno Argentin (Italy)
3. Fernandez (Spain)

1988. Renaix

1. Maurizio Fondriest (Italy)
2. Gayant (France)
3. Fernandez (Spain)

1989. Chambery, France

1. Greg Lemond (USA)
2. Dimitri Konyshev (Russia)
3. Sean Kelly (Ireland)

1990. Utsonomina, Japan

1. Rudy Dhaenens (Belgium)
2. de Wolf (Belgium)
3. Gianni Bugno (Italy)

1991. Stuttgart, Germany

1. Gianni Bugno (Italy)
2. Steven Rooks (Netherlands)
3. Miguel Indurain (Spain)

1992. Benidorm, Spain

1. Gianni Bugno (ITaly)
2. Laurent Jalabert (France)
3. Dimitri Konyshev (Russia)

1993. Oslo, Norway

1. Lance Armstrong (USA)
2. Miguel Indurain (Spain)
3. Olaf Ludwig (Germany)

1994. Agrigente, Italy

1. Luc Leblanc (France)
2. Claudio Chiappucci (Italy)
3. Richard Virenque (France)

1995. Duitama, Colombia

1. Abraham Olano (Spain)
2. Miguel Indurain (Spain)
3. Marco Pantani (Italy)

1996. Lugano, Switzerland

1. Johan Museeuw (Belgium)
2. M. Gianetti (Switzerland)
3. Michele Bartoli (Italy)

1997. San Sebastian, Spain

1. Laurent Brochard (France)
2. Bo Hamburger (Denmark)
3. L. Van Bon (Netherlands)

1998. Valkenburg, Netherlands

1. Oskar Camenzind (Switzerland)
2. Peter Van Petegem
3. Michele Bartoli (Italy)

1999. Verona, Italy

Distance: 260 km
173 riders started, 49 finished.

1. Oscar Freire Gomez (Spain)
2. Markus Zberg (Switzerland)
3. Jean Cyril Robin (France)

2000, Plouay, France

Distance: 268.9 km.

1. Romans Vainsteins
2. Zbigniew Spruck
3. Oscar Freire

2001. Lisbon Portugal

Distance: 254.1 km.

1. Oscar Freire
2. Paolo Bettini
3. Andrej Hauptmann

2002, Zolder, Belgium

Distance: 256 km.

1. Mario Cipollini
2. Robbie Mcewen
3. Erik Zabel

2003, Hamilton, Canada

Distance: 260.4 km. 180 riders started, 112 finshed.

1. Igor Astorloa (Spain) 6hr 30min 19sec
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spain) 2 5sec
3. Peter Van Petegem (Belgium) s.t.

2004, Verona Italy. Sunday, October 3: 265.5 km.

18 laps of 14.75 kilometers. Paolo Bettini had to abandon with a sore knee on lap 15. This is Freire's 3rd Rainbow Jersey ('99, '01, '04). He joins some rather fine company in that club: Alfredo Binda ('27, '30, '32), Rik Van Steenbergen ('49, '56, '57) and Eddy Merckx ('67, '71, '74).

1. Oscar Freire (Spain) 6hr 57min 15sec
2. Erik Zabel (Germany) s.t.
3. Luca Paolini (Italy) s.t.
4. Stuart O'Grady (Australia) s.t.
5. Allan Davis (Australia) s.t.
6. Alejandro Valverde (Spain) s.t.
7. Michael Boogerd (Holland) s.t.
8. Chris Horner (USA) s.t.
9. Damiano Cunego (Italy) s.t.
10. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg) s.t.