Ivan Levačić

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Ivan Levačić (born August 25, 1931 in Virje ) is a former cyclist from the former Yugoslavia and participant of the Olympic Games .

Athletic career

Levačić was a member of the Podravac Virje, Dinamo Zagreb , Torpedo Koprivnica and Karlovac clubs . He stood out above all as a strong stage driver. His career began on May 1, 1949, when the Podravac Virje cycling department organized a cycling race for touring cyclists. Levačić won and took a liking to cycling , stuck with it and won other races in his region. When he was able to keep up with the leading Dinamo Zagreb drivers in one of these races, the Zagreb club brought him into their ranks. He then won the national junior championship. A short time later he went back to his hometown, got married and initially gave up cycling. It was not until 1956 that he began again with systematic training and again quickly enjoyed success. Levačić received a scholarship from the Olympic Committee and was able to prepare for the Olympic Games.

His most important success was the victory in the Tour of Yugoslavia in 1961, in which he was also second in 1957 and 1960 and third in 1959. He made the tour seven times. In the 1961 Tour de l'Avenir stage race , he finished fifth. In 1958 and 1961 he won the Croatian championship, which was held alongside the Yugoslavia. In 1957 he was second in the Yugoslav championship behind Nevenko (Nevio) Valčić, in 1959 he was third. In 1957 he was third on the Tour of Poland . In 1958 he was also able to win the stage trip from Budapest to Belgrade . Also in the Tour of Bulgaria in 1959 he placed 10th in the front field. He took part in the International Peace Tour seven times, and in 1958 he was 10th. His association nominated him for the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome . In the individual race he finished 30th, with the Yugoslavian team he finished 15th in the team time trial. He took part in the UCI Road World Championships four times.

Ivan Levačić had a license as an independent in 1961 and 1962, with a contract with the French Bertin team , where he drove for a year at the side of the German Friedhelm Fischerkeller . Successes in professional races are not known. In 1963 he ended his career.

Professional

Ivan Levačić worked for the Kordun company in Karlovac , where he worked as a toolmaker. After his career he worked as a driver and trainer for his home club.

literature

In 1958 a book appeared about him with the title "Ivan Levačić najbolji jugoslavenski biciklist" (German: Ivan Levačić, the best Yugoslav cyclist), Sportsko društvo ˝Podravac˝, 1958, 43 pages.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b IVAN LEVAČIĆ, LEGENDA JUGOSLAVENSKOG BICIKLIZMA. Retrieved June 30, 2019 (Croatian).
  2. ↑ a b Virovec Ivan Levačić, najbolji hrvatski biciklist. Retrieved June 30, 2019 (Croatian).
  3. ↑ Maik Märtin: 50 years of Course de la Paix . Agency Construct, Leipzig 1998, p. 245 .
  4. ↑ https://www.cyclingranking.com/teams/1962/336/bertin
personal data
SURNAME Levačić, Ivan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Yugoslav cyclist
DATE OF BIRTH August 25, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH Virje