Robert Dill-Bundi

A physically gifted cyclist, Robert Dill-Bundi was a talented and successful youngster and enjoyed some important victories such as the Swiss Road Championship in 1975 and the junior world individual pursuit title in 1975 and 1976.

As an amateur, Dill-Bundi participated at the 1976 Montréal Olympics when he was just 17 and was Swiss individual pursuit champion in the three-years from 1978-80. He also won the team pursuit in 1979. Dill-Bundi won Olympic pursuit gold at Moskva in 1980 by beating the Frenchman Alain Bondue in the final by over seven seconds. Dill-Bundi then got off his bike and kissed the track. This victory earned him the title of Swiss Sportsman of the Year.

Having turned professional in October 1980, in the top category, Dill-Bundi was undisciplined and lacked a following on the international stage despite having been the holder of the national title in the pursuit in the three-year period 1981-83, in the 1 km time trial in 1982, and in the points race in 1983. Dill-Bundi reached the pursuit final at the 1983 World Championship in Zurich but was defeated by the Australian Steele Bishop. At the Barcelona Worlds in 1984 Dill-Bundi surprisingly wore the rainbow jersey of the world champion in the keirin, winning ahead of Octavio Dazzan and his compatriot Urs Freuler.

On the road Dill-Bundi achieved four successes, the most important of which was the 19th stage of the Giro d’Italia on 3 June 1982 from Boario Terme to Vigevano, beating the Belgian Van Calster and the Italian star Francesco Moser in the sprint. Dill-Bundi later worked at the U.C.I. Cycling Centre near to his home, at Aigle. He died at the age of 65 after a long and debilitating illness.