Other Accomplishments
Moser won the 1977 world road racing championship in San Cristobal, Venezuela in front of Dietrich Thurau of Germany and Moser's countryman Franco Bitossi. Moser was also silver medallist in 1976, behind Freddy Maertens of Belgium, and again he finished second in 1978 to Gerrie Knetemann of the Netherlands.
On 19 January, 1984, in Mexico City, Moser broke the famous 1972 hour record of Eddy Merckx, after long physical preparation and training. Moser rode 50.808 kilometers, on a radical and high-tech aerodynamic bike (with aero bars and full disc wheels), which was far more advanced than the conventional track bike which Merckx had used in 1972. As a result, in 1997 the Union Cycliste Internationale banned hour records set on bikes featuring technological advantages over those used in 1972. Under the new rules, Merckx's 1972 record wasn't broken until 2000. Moser auctioned his bicycle to benefit UNICEF. In 1999, he admitted using blood doping in breaking the record, helped by sports doctor Francesco Conconi; his doping had not been declared illegal at the time. The 1984 record stood for more than nine years, and Moser's attempt opened the door to aerodynamic technology in cycling. Moser retired from the professional ranks in 1987.
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