Lech Piasecki (born 13 November 1961) is a Polish former

racing cyclist Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling spo ...

. Born in

Poznań Poznań ( ) is a city on the Warta, River Warta in west Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business center and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John's ...

, he became the first Polish cyclist to wear the yellow jersey in the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...

, in

1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...

. After Piasecki became Amateur world champion in 1985, the Colnago team wanted to sign him. The Polish cycling organisation allowed that in exchange for bicycles. His first victory as a professional cyclist was in a time trial in the 1986 Giro d'Italia, where he beat many favourites. In 1987, he won the first stage of the Tirreno–Adriatico. It was a time trial in which he started early, and the wind changed direction after Piasecki finished, so the main favourites who started later had a disadvantage. In the 1987 Tour de France, Piasecki became second in the prologue, and took the yellow jersey after finishing in the lead group of Stage 2. After he lost the lead on Stage 4, he had to abandon the 7th stage due to illness. On 24 August 1988 he became World Track Champion in individual pursuit. The following year Piasecki put forth a remarkable performance during the

1989 Giro d'Italia The 1989 Giro d'Italia was the 72nd edition of the race. It started off in Taormina on 21 May with a flat stage that ended in Catania. The race concluded in Florence with a individual time trial on 11 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race ...

by winning three stages including two ITT stages, as well as a high mountain stage.

Career achievements

;1982 :1st Stage 7a,

Milk Race The Tour of Britain is a multi-stage cycling race, conducted on British roads, in which participants race across Great Britain to complete the race in the fastest time. The event dates back to the first British stage races held just after th ...

;1983 : 6th Overall

Tour de Pologne The Tour de Pologne (; ), officially abbreviated TdP, is an annual, professional men's Race stage, multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race primarily held in Poland. It consists of seven or eight stages and is usually around 1,200 km ...

::1st Stage 6 ;1984 :3rd Polish National Road Race Championships ;1985 :1st

UCI Road World Championships The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the (UCI). The UCI Road World Championships consist of events for road race and individual time trial, and , a UCI Road World Championships ...

, Amateurs :1st Overall

Peace Race The Peace Race (, , , (), , , , ) is a cycling race that was established as the largest event in Eastern Europe after the Second World War. Since 2013, it has been run as one of the most prestigious stage races for national U23 teams. Histo ...

::1st Stages 1, 7, 8 & 11 ;1986 :1st Tour de Romagna :1st Florence-Pistoia :1st Stage 12 ( ITT)

Giro d'Italia The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...

:1st Stage 3, Tour de l'Aude :1st

Trofeo Baracchi The Trofeo Baracchi was a major Italian cycling race that ran for 50 years. It was created by Giacomo Baracchi, in memory of his father Angelo who was a great cycle racing fan. Originally (from 1941) an amateur individual time trial An indiv ...

(with

Giuseppe Saronni Giuseppe Saronni (born 22 September 1957), also known as Beppe Saronni, is an Italian former racing cyclist. He had remarkable success riding in the Giro d'Italia. In 1980 he won 7 stages and finished 7th overall; in 1981 he won 3 stages and fini ...

) ;1987 :1st Stage 1

Tirreno–Adriatico Tirreno–Adriatico, nicknamed the "Race of the Two Seas", is an elite road bicycle racing, road cycling stage race in Italy, run between the Tyrrhenian Sea, Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Sea, Adriatic coasts. Traditionally held in the early part of th ...

;1988 :1st Stage 21b (ITT)

:1st Trofeo Baracchi (with

Czesław Lang Czesław Lang (born 17 May 1955) is a Polish former road racing cyclist. He was a bronze medalist at the 1977 UCI Road World Championships in San Cristóbal, Táchira, San Cristóbal and a silver medalist at the 1979 UCI Road World Championship ...

) ;1989 :1st Tour de Friuli :1st Stage 7

::1st Stages 10 (ITT), 15b & 22 (ITT) ;1990 :1st Florence-Pistoia

Tour de France

* 1987 Tour de France - did not finish. Wore

yellow jersey The general classification of the Tour de France is the most important classification of the race and determines the winner of the race. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification has worn the yellow jersey ( ). History For the first t ...

for 2 consecutive days, the first and so far only Polish cyclist to do so.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piasecki, Lech 1961 births Living people Polish male cyclists Cyclists from Poznań UCI Track Cycling World Champions (men) Polish track cyclists 20th-century Polish sportsmen