Paolo Bettini is an Italian former champion road racing cyclist, and the former coach of the Italian national cycling team. Considered the best classics specialist of his generation, and probably one of the strongest of all times, he won gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race and in the 2006 and 2007 World Road Race Championships. He is nicknamed Il Grillo for his repeated sudden attacks and his sprinting style. He gained prominence by winning Li�ge?Bastogne?Li�ge in 2000 and 2002. He set the record for World Cup wins in a season in 2003, winning the Milan ? San Remo, HEW Cyclassics and Cl�sica de San Sebasti�n. He won the Giro di Lombardia in 2005 and 2006, the Z�ri-Metzgete in 2001 and 2005 and Tirreno?Adriatico in 2004. [More at Wikipedia]

April 1st, 1974 in Cecina (Age 50)