Tom Simpson (1966)

After missing most of the 1966 road racing schedule while recovering from an badly broken leg sustained as the result of an off-season skiing accident, Tom Simpson of team Peugeot-BP-Michelin (...wearing the "Rainbow jersey" as the reigning World Road Race Champion) is seen here riding just ahead of Rik van Looy (...a former World Champion himself back in 1960 and 1961 while with Faema, now a member of team Solo-Superia - one of only five cyclists ever to have successfully defended their road title) and Rudy Altig (...whom Simpson had just barely beat in a heated sprint to the finish at San Sebastian to claim the 1965 title) early on during the 1966 edition of the World Road Racing Championships held that year at the Nürburgring in Germany. And it was that nation’s favorite-son Rudy Altig who would prevail on this day, adding the title of World Road Race Champion to his impressive palmarès which already included two World Champion Individual Pursuit titles which he had won in track competition in 1960 and 1961.