Champions Prefer Campagnolo – Eddy Merckx, Walter Villa & Clay Regazzoni, c. 1975

Champions Prefer Campagnolo
Eddy Merckx, Walter Villa, Clay Regazzoni

For anyone who loved bike racing in the 1970s and 1980s, Campagnolo was king. Everything about Campy exuded class, elegance, and victory. With minimal competition at the time, Campy ruled the roads. The halcyon days of French components were clearly in the rearview mirror, and Japanese companies SunTour and Shimano were not yet entrenched on the racing side of the cycling ledger. Simply stated, it was a glorious time to be a fan of all things Italian.

With 525 career victories to his name, Eddy Merckx is the most successful rider in cycling history.  Highlights of his storied career include winning eleven Grand Tours, all five Monument races, three professional road World Championships, the Hour Record, every major one-day race (except Paris-Tours), and many track racing victories.

Walter Villa was an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer who achieved four world championships in the 1970s, securing three consecutive 250cc titles from 1974 to 1976 and the 350cc championship in 1976. He began his racing career at the age of 13. He later joined Harley-Davidson’s racing team, where he won 24 Grand Prix races and 36 podiums, becoming one of Italy’s most successful motorcycle racers. After retiring in 1980, Villa remained active in historic motorsport events and as a trainer until his death in 2002.

Clay Regazzoni was a Swiss Formula 1 driver who competed for 11 seasons, achieving five Grand Prix victories. He made an impressive debut by winning the 1970 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, driving for Ferrari. In 1974, he finished as the runner-up in the World Drivers’ Championship with Ferrari, narrowly missing the title. Regazzoni later joined Williams, where he secured the team’s first-ever Grand Prix win at the 1979 British Grand Prix. His career was tragically cut short in 1980 due to a paralyzing accident, but he continued to race in rally and endurance events using hand-controlled vehicles.