Jacques Marinelli
Encyclopedia
Jacques Marinelli is a former French cyclist. He wore the yellow jersey
of leadership for six days in the 1949 Tour de France
before finishing third.
. His body is no thicker than a propelling pencil, his legs no thicker than runner beans. And his head is like a fist." Marinelli as an adult was 1m 62 tall and wore size 38 shoes. He was so thin and sickly-looking as a boy that his mother urged him to play accordion
rather than ride a bike. Marinelli nevertheless raced and came to prominence in the Trophées Peugeot
. That brought him selection for the 1948 Tour.
He rode the Tour six times between 1948 and 1954 but finished only in 1949 and in 1952, when he came 31st. He became the first rider in the Tour to write a column for L'Équipe
, in 1949.
and Gino Bartali
. He exchanged the green jersey of the Ile-de-France for the yellow of leader. Next morning the organiser, Jacques Goddet
, wrote in L'Équipe
: "Our budgerigar has been transformed into a canary", a reference to Marinelli's small shape in yellow. The nickname stuck - but "budgerigar" rather than "canary".
Marinelli rode above himself and exploited the rivalry between Coppi and Bartali to keep the lead for another five days, as far as the Pyrenees
. Marinelli still has the yellow jersey, although it has been eaten by moths. He said: "For a great champion to wear the yellow jersey, that's normal. But when it's an amateur that's different, and then again my height, I think that's what contributed to my popularity."
in 1986 by the Académie des Sports for his success in starting a new life after sport.
Marinelli was elected mayor of Melun in 1989 and again in 1995. He left office in 2001. He was instrumental in bringing the Tour to his town in 1991 and 1998. In 1991 he rode part of the course for the television station FR3.
1949
1950
1954
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
of leadership for six days in the 1949 Tour de France
1949 Tour de France
The 1949 Tour de France was the 36th Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 24 July 1949. It consisted of 21 stages over 4808 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.121 km/h....
before finishing third.
Background
The writer Max Favalelli said of Marinelli: "He is a pygmyPygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
. His body is no thicker than a propelling pencil, his legs no thicker than runner beans. And his head is like a fist." Marinelli as an adult was 1m 62 tall and wore size 38 shoes. He was so thin and sickly-looking as a boy that his mother urged him to play accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
rather than ride a bike. Marinelli nevertheless raced and came to prominence in the Trophées Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
. That brought him selection for the 1948 Tour.
He rode the Tour six times between 1948 and 1954 but finished only in 1949 and in 1952, when he came 31st. He became the first rider in the Tour to write a column for L'Équipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
, in 1949.
Budgerigar in yellow
He became known as la perruche during the 1949 Tour. Riding for the regional Ile-de-France team rather than the national team, Marinelli rose above his humble status by attacking repeatedly during the first four days. On the fourth he came second and became race leader, leading a field that included Fausto CoppiFausto Coppi
Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
and Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
. He exchanged the green jersey of the Ile-de-France for the yellow of leader. Next morning the organiser, Jacques Goddet
Jacques Goddet
Jacques Goddet was a French sports journalist and director of the Tour de France from 1936 to 1986....
, wrote in L'Équipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
: "Our budgerigar has been transformed into a canary", a reference to Marinelli's small shape in yellow. The nickname stuck - but "budgerigar" rather than "canary".
Marinelli rode above himself and exploited the rivalry between Coppi and Bartali to keep the lead for another five days, as far as the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. Marinelli still has the yellow jersey, although it has been eaten by moths. He said: "For a great champion to wear the yellow jersey, that's normal. But when it's an amateur that's different, and then again my height, I think that's what contributed to my popularity."
Retirement
He stopped racing at 28 to run a cycle shop and then an electrical-goods shop in the place St-Jean at Melun, in Greater Paris. It is still there. He then became director of a branch of Conforama, a furniture chain, in the town and ran a company called Marinelli Connexion, which had 150 employees and ran delivery vehicles painted yellow. His was the largest business in the town. He was given the Prix Jean-Claude KillyJean-Claude Killy
Jean-Claude Killy was an alpine ski racer, who dominated the sport in the late 1960s. He was a triple Olympic champion, winning the three alpine events at the 1968 Winter Olympics, becoming the most successful athlete there...
in 1986 by the Académie des Sports for his success in starting a new life after sport.
Marinelli was elected mayor of Melun in 1989 and again in 1995. He left office in 2001. He was instrumental in bringing the Tour to his town in 1991 and 1998. In 1991 he rode part of the course for the television station FR3.
Major victories
1948- 1st place in Hollerich (Lux)
1949
- 1949 Tour de France1949 Tour de FranceThe 1949 Tour de France was the 36th Tour de France, taking place from 30 June to 24 July 1949. It consisted of 21 stages over 4808 km, ridden at an average speed of 32.121 km/h....
- 3rd place final classification
- 6 days in yellow jerseyYellow jerseyThe general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
1950
- Dauphiné LibéréDauphiné LibéréThe Critérium du Dauphiné is an annual cycling road race, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné region in France during the first half of June. The race was inaugurated by a local newspaper, the Dauphiné Libéré, which gave its name to the event...
: winner of stages 6 and 7 - 1st Madrid
- 1st Paris - Montceau-les-Mines
1954
- 1st Paris - Montceau-les-Mines