Stanisław Szozda

Stanisław Szozda is among the greatest ever Polish cyclists, winning two Olympic silver medals in the 1972 and 1976 team time trial, and five medals at the World Championships. In 1973 and 1975 he won gold medals at the Worlds in the team time trial, winning an individual silver in the amateur road race in 1973, and adding bronze medals in the team time trial in 1971 and 1977.

He also won the 1974 Peace Race, finishing second in that event, then called the amateur Tour de France, in 1976, as well as helping Poland win the team classification in 1973. Szozda’s other major wins included the 1971 Tour of Poland, the 1973 Tour of Algeria, the 1973-74 Tour of Toledo, the 1974 Settimana Bergamasca, the 1976 Tour of Malopolska, and the 1977 Szlakiem Grodow Piastowskich. Szozda won five Polish national championships. His racing career ended after sustaining a spine injury at the 1978 Peace Race.

After his competitive retirement, Szozda moved to the United States for a time where he worked as a trainer with Eddie Borysiewicz. He later returned to Poland where he was successful as a businessman. Szozda received the Order of Polonia Restituta.