Paul Köchli is a former bicycle racer and cycling coach from

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, born April 22, 1947, in

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

Biography

Köchli became a professional bike racer in 1967, riding for the Swiss Tigra-Grammont team. In 1968, he rode in the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

in the bi-national Swiss/Luxembourgish team. Then, in 1969, he rode in Jean de Gribaldy's team, Frimac-Viva-de Gribaldy. He was the coach of the

La Vie Claire La Vie Claire was a professional road bicycle racing team named after its chief sponsor La Vie Claire, a chain of health food stores. History The La Vie Claire team was created in 1984 by Bernard Tapie and directed by Paul Köchli. The t ...

team from 1984 to 1987, having been asked for specifically by

Bernard Hinault Bernard Hinault (; born 14 November 1954) is a French former professional road cyclist. With 147 professional victories, including five times the Tour de France, he is often named among the greatest cyclists of all time. In his career, Hinault ...

, with whom he wrote a training book for amateur cyclists. With the La Vie Claire team, he won two Tours de France, thanks to the victories of Bernard Hinault and

Greg Lemond Gregory James LeMond (born June 26, 1961) is an American former professional road racing cyclist, entrepreneur, and anti-doping advocate. A two-time winner of the Road Race World Championship (1983 and 1989) and a three-time winner of the Tou ...

. From 1988 to 1992, he was the head of the Weinmann-La Suisse team, which became

Helvetia Helvetia () is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially ''Confoederatio Helvetica,'' the Swiss Confederation. The allegory is typically pictured in a flowing gown, with a spear and a shield emblazoned with the Swiss fla ...

References

1947 births Living people Swiss male cyclists Cycling coaches Sportspeople from Basel-Stadt 20th-century Swiss people {{Switzerland-cycling-bio-stub