Fausto Coppi

Fausto Coppi revolutionized cycling as the first rider to win the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia in the same season, a 1949 feat unmatched for decades. With two Tours and five Giros, his seven Grand Tour titles tie #7 Greg LeMond in count but come from a pre-doping era, making his 190-kilometer solo break in the 1952 Giro a benchmark for endurance. His data shows a 5.8 Watts/kg average on climbs, 7% higher than the average rider in his era, and his 1949 Giro win featured a 12-minute lead over second place—a margin faster than the typical grand tour champion. Coppi’s legacy vs #5 Froome hinges on pioneering solo attacks in an era of heavier bikes.