Jeannie Longo, World Greatest Athlete?, Turns 50

Jeannie Longo

The world’s best athlete no one knows turned age 50 today. She’s cyclist Jeannie Longo of France. Racing for nearly 30 years after an alpine skiing career, Longo has won more than 1,000 events, including 55 national titles an Olympic gold medal and victories in countries around the globe.

Although widely revered in the cycling world, Longo remains unheralded in the mainstream media. But she she shouldn’t be, particularly considering her legacy.

Longo, who has a doctorate in Sports Management, was born Oct. 31, 1958 in Annecy, France. She began her athletic as a downhill skier. After winning the French schools’ ski championship and three university skiing championships, she switched her main athletic endeavor in 1979 to cycling at the urging of her then coach (and now husband) Patrice Ciprelli and won her first national title.

As one of the 10 oldest athletes in the Summer Olympics in Beijing in August, Longo, 49, finished fourth in the individual time trial.