Walter Ricci

Walter Ricci, born on February 5, 1946, in Pesaro, is a French cyclist of Italian origin. A professional from 1968 to 1972, he notably won an edition of the Grand Prix du Midi Libre.

Biography

Ricci began competing under the FSGT (Fédération Sportive et Gymnique du Travail). Due to his strong performances, he later obtained a license with the Pédale Conflanaise cycling club. While working as a mason, he built an impressive record at the regional level. He then joined US Créteil and later Les Bleus de France de Suresnes, allowing him to compete in national events. On April 24, 1957, he adopted French nationality.

A strong time trialist and climber, Ricci stood out in the 1967 Route de France. As a result, national coach Robert Oubron selected him for the French amateur team to compete in the Tour de l’Avenir that same year. In this race, Ricci proved to be a valuable teammate for Cyrille Guimard and Christian Robini. Robini ultimately won the event, and the French team secured the overall team classification.

In 1968, Ricci turned professional, joining the Mercier-BP-Hutchinson team, managed by former Tour de France winner Antonin Magne. Raymond Poulidor was the undisputed leader of the team at the time. That same year, Cyrille Guimard and Christian Robini also signed professional contracts with the squad.

After five years in the professional ranks, Ricci was not offered a contract renewal with Sonolor-Lejeune. He then decided to return to amateur racing. Competing for CSM Puteaux and later CSM Persan, he achieved numerous victories on both the road and in cyclo-cross. Excelling in cyclo-cross, he won the Île-de-France championship six times. In 1988, he claimed the French national road title in the veterans’ category, followed by a national track title in 1993.

A skilled mentor, Ricci generously shared his expertise with young cyclists, particularly those at CSM Persan.

 Source: fr.wikipedia.org