As an amateur, Clerici won well-known races such as across Lausanne in 1947, the Zurich championship in 1951 and the Tour of the Vierkantone. In 1951 he made his debut as a professional driver in the Grand Prix de Suisse. He achieved his greatest success in 1954 when he won the Giro d'Italia . He succeeded in doing this primarily with a great drive on the 6th stage from Naples to L'Aquila, on which the great favorite Fausto Coppi , who was struggling with food poisoning , lost 11 minutes alone.
In 1956 he was able to win the championship in Zurich . However, his strengths were clearly in the tours, in which he was also able to achieve top positions. He competed in the Tour de France several times, his best placement he reached in 1954 with 12th place. In 1958 he ended his career.
Professional
Clerici worked as a laborer before starting his cycling career. After retiring as a professional athlete, he worked in the advertising department of a tobacco company.
Individual evidence
↑ a b c Swiss Cycling Association (ed.): SRB calendar 1965 . Grenchen 1965, p.160 .