1973 World Championships, Official Race Poster -Road Race Winner, Felice Gimondi

Championnats du Monde de Cyclisme 1973, España

1973 UCI Cycling World Championships in San Sebastián & Barcelona, Spain

Bold, colorful, and unmistakably modern, this original 1973 poster was created to promote the combined Road and Track Cycling World Championships held in Spain from August 22 through September 2. Against a clean white background, a sequence of overlapping cyclists appears in translucent blue, red, black, yellow, and green—the five colors of the world champion’s rainbow jersey. The riders lean forward in full effort, while repeating gray arcs below suggest rapidly turning wheels, giving the otherwise static composition an exceptional sense of speed and movement.

The French headline translates as “1973 World Cycling Championships,” followed by the dates and the two host cities: Barcelona and San Sebastián. Banco Central’s name and circular BC emblem dominate the lower portion, accompanied by the clever Spanish advertising line El Banco de los Mundiales—“The Bank of the World Championships.”

The road championships were contested on Barcelona’s demanding Montjuïc circuit. In the 248.6-kilometer professional men’s race on September 2, an extraordinary final selection brought together four of the era’s greatest riders: Eddy Merckx, Felice Gimondi, Luis Ocaña, and the young Freddy Maertens. Gimondi won the four-man sprint to claim the rainbow jersey, with Maertens second, Ocaña third, and Merckx fourth. Poland’s Ryszard Szurkowski won the amateur road race ahead of teammate Stanisław Szozda, and Poland also captured the 100-kilometer team time trial. Belgium’s Nicole Vandenbroeck won the women’s road race, followed by Keetie van Oosten-Hage and Valentina Rebrovskaya.

The track championships took place at San Sebastián’s Velódromo de Anoeta, where eleven world titles were awarded. Belgium’s Robert Van Lancker won the professional sprint, Britain’s Hugh Porter captured the professional individual pursuit, and Dutchman Cees Stam took the professional motor-paced championship. Among the amateurs, France’s Daniel Morelon won the sprint, Norway’s Knut Knudsen the individual pursuit, Poland’s Janusz Kierzkowski the kilometer time trial, and West Germany the team pursuit. American Sheila Young won the women’s sprint, while Soviet rider Tamara Garkuchina claimed the women’s individual pursuit.

This poster has been archivally and professionally linen-backed.

Virtually all original vintage posters of this era were viewed as temporary advertising and were printed on very thin paper. While expensive, linen backing is a conservation method used to mount, stabilize, preserve, and protect vintage posters, allowing them to be displayed or framed without compromising their value.