Swedish cycling legend: Gösta Pettersson celebrates his 85th birthday

Swedish cyclist Gösta Pettersson turns 85 today, 23 November 2025. Pettersson finished third in the 1970 Tour de France and was the first and so far only Swede to win the 1971 Giro d'Italia. This is not the only reason why he and his brothers Erik, Sture and Tomas are legendary in his home country: Together they won gold in the team time trial at the road cycling world championships from 1967 to 1969.

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Rivals are said to have tried to prevent his triumph in the 1971 Giro with dirty tricks: On the Grossglockner, for example, his lead dwindled from six to one minute after his Italian rival Claudio Michelotto allowed himself to be pulled by an escort car. After witnesses confirmed this, Michelotto was given a small penalty. A small museum is dedicated to Gösta Pettersson and his brothers in his home municipality of Vårgårda, where he can sometimes be found.