This year the Palio d'Oro for Lifetime Achievement is assigned to a champion from beyond the Alps: Frenchman Bernard Hinault, one of the great interpreters of cycling of every era. Hinault was born in Yffiniac, a French town in Brittany, a region that overlooks the North coast of France and he lives in Quessay, a small village of just two thousand souls located just three kilometers from Yffiniac.

Professional since 1977 Bernard Hinault has been by far the best interpreter together with Jacques Anquetil of the French school.

Hinault in his career has won so much. A complete runner, he impressed above all for his extraordinary uphill action, a continuous pace that increased kilometer after kilometer. The most striking victories of the great Bernard are five Tour de France ('78, '79, '81, '82, '85), three Tours of Italy ('80, '82, '85), two Vuelta of Spain ('78 and '83), two Tours of Lombardy ('79 and '84), two Liege - Bastoglie - Liege, two Fleche Wallonne.

In 1980 to Sullanches in France it gives to its Nation a splendid championship of the world sweeping away all the adversaries last of which to leave him the step was the blue Baronchelli.

In the furrow of the great names that since the beginning have distinguished this prize today the most thunderous applause is due to him, to Bernard Hinault.