Joaquim Agostinho

Infobox Cyclist
ridername = Joaquim Agostinho


image_caption = Joaquim Agostinho Tour de France 1972 with Poulidor and Van Impe
fullname = Joaquim Fernandes Agostinho
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date|1942|4|7
dateofdeath = death date and age|1984|5|10|1942|4|7
country = POR
height =
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currentteam =
discipline = Road
role = Rider
ridertype =
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updated = July 14, 2008

Joaquim Fernandes Agostinho, OIH (April 7 1943 - May 10 1984) was a Portuguese professional bicycle racer. He was born in Brejenjas, a small village that borders upon the vila of Praia de Santa Cruz, parish of Silveira and council of Torres Vedras. For several years he lived in Casalinhos de Alfaiata.

He was introduced to sport when Sporting Clube de Portugal's cycling team went to train near Casalinhos de Alfaiata - Torres Vedras, Agostinho's birthplace and home. The cycling team encountered Agostinho on the same road he was using. Agostinho began an impromptu race with them; the trained cyclists did not catch him, even though they were using lightweight racing bicycles, while Agostinho rode a standard model steel bicycle.

Agostinho was several times Portuguese champion. His international career began in 1968 after he was observed by the french directeur sportif Jean de Gribaldy. He became a consistent leader in both in the Vuelta a España and most of all in the Tour de France where he was a winner at Alpe d'Huez.

He died in 1984 after colliding with a dog when racing in Algarve, south of Portugal. He fell on the ground head-on, not wearing a helmet, which he didn't like to use. Although he got up and appeared recovered, he would eventually die from internal haemorrhages that developed later that day.

International teams

* Frimatic-de Gribaldy : 1969-1970
* Hoover-de Gribaldy : 1971
* Magniflex-de Gribaldy : 1972
* Bic: 1973,1974
* Teka: 1976,1977
* Flandria: 1978,1979
* Puch-Sem-Campagnolo: 1980
* Sem-France Loire: 1981,1983
* Sporting Lisboa-Raposeira : 1984

Notable Results:

*Volta a Portugal:
**Winner: 1970,1971,1972
**26 stages

*Tour de France::1969:8th place, winner stages 5 and 14:1970:14th place:1971:5th place:1972:8th place:1973:8th place, winner stage 16B:1974:6th place:1975:15th place:1977:13th place, winner stage 18:1978:3rd place:1979:3rd place, winner stage 17:1980:5th place:1981:not finished:1983:11th place

*Vuelta a España
** 2nd: 1974
** 3 stages
** 5 days yellow jersey

*Portuguese Championship
** Champion: 1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973
*Mythic Stages:
** Alpe d'Huez (Tour) - 1979
** Lagos de Covadonga (Vuelta) - 1974
** Torre (Volta a Portugal)- 1971, 1973
** Penhas da Saúde (Volta a Portugal)- 1970, 1971
** Solothurn Balmberg (Tour de Suisse) - 1972

External links

* [http://www.biciclopedia.com/mediawiki-1.4.0/index.php?title=Joaquim_Agostinho Complete Palmarés]
* [http://www.cyclolusitano.com CycloLusitano] Portuguese Rider of the year: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980
* [http://www.jeandegribaldy.com/index.php?zone=pages/agostinhoJoaquim Agostinho and Jean de Gribaldy]
* [http://praiadesantacruz.com/stcruz/stcruzjagostinho-en.htm Read more about Agostinho ]
* [http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jean+de+gribaldy Videos]
*cyclingwebsite|89
* [http://www.letour.fr/HISTO/TDF/riders/us/3979.html Official Tour de France results for Joaquim Agostinho]