Leif Mortensen

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Leif Mortensen (born May 5, 1946 in Frederiksberg ) is a former Danish cyclist .

Leif Mortensen was one of Denmark's most successful amateur racing drivers in the 1960s. In 1963, at the age of 17, he was the Danish runner-up in the junior individual time trial . In 1967 he finished second in the road race at the Nordic Championships ; In the same year he was runner-up in the team time trial in Heerlen , together with Henning Ingemar Petersen , Jørgen Emil Hansen and Verner Blaudzun .

In 1968 Mortensen became the Danish team time trial champion (with Hansen, Bent Pedersen and Steen Holgaard ) after finishing third in the amateur road race. The Danish team also finished second at the Nordic Championships. The highlight for Mortensen this year was winning the silver medal in the road race at the Olympic Games in Mexico . The following year Leif Mortensen was world champion in road racing amateurs in Brno , and in the team time trial he finished second with the Danish team (with Hansen, Mogens Frey and Jørn Lund ). He also won the Grand Prix de France . Then he went over to the professionals .

In 1970 Mortensen was runner-up in the road race of the professionals behind Jean-Pierre Monseré in Leicester . In 1971 he won the Trofeo Baracchi together with Luis Ocaña Pernía . In 1973 he won the Tour of Belgium and in 1974 he finished fourth at Bordeaux-Paris . Leif Mortensen took part in the Tour de France four times : in 1971 he finished sixth in the overall standings, in 1972 twelfth and in 1973 he finished 19th.

In 1975 Mortensen ended his active cycling career. He has been a member of the Danish Sports Hall of Fame since 1994 and has been a Eurosport commentator since 2009 .

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personal data
SURNAME Mortensen, Leif
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Danish cyclist
DATE OF BIRTH May 5, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH Frederiksberg