Knut Knudsen

Knut Knudsen (born 12 October 1950) is a retired Norwegian road and track cyclist. As an amateur he competed on track in the individual 4000 m pursuit at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics and 1973 World Champsionships, and won the event in 1972 and 1973. At the 1972 Olympics he also placed fifth in the 100 km team time trial on the road.[1] He won the Norwegian National Road Race Championships in 1972 and 1973.[2]

Knut Knudsen

Kundsen on a stamp of Umm al-Quwain
Personal information
Born	(1950-10-12) 12 October 1950 Levanger, Norway
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	79 kg (174 lb)
Medal record Representing  NOR Men's cycling Olympic Games 1972 Munich Individual pursuit World Championships 1973 San Sebastián Individual pursuit, amateurs 1975 Rocourt Individual pursuit, elite 1976 Monteroni di Lecce Individual pursuit, elite 1977 San Cristóbal Individual pursuit, elite

Between 1966 and 1973 Knudsen won 11 Norwegian championships. In 1974 he turned professional and cycled in Italy until 1981. He won six stages of the Giro d'Italia and wore the pink leader jersey twice, becoming the first and so far only Norwegian to do so. The first time he held the pink leader jersey was for two stages after winning Stage 1 of the 1975 Giro d'Italia on 17 May, Norway's constitution day. In 1981 he could once again put on the pink jersey after winning the prologue. After finishing second in the race three times, Knudsen won Tirreno–Adriatico in 1979. He was chosen the world's best time trial cyclist by two biggest sporting magazines from 1979 to 1981. In total he won 49 professional races.