Paul Jesson | |
Birth Date: | 14 January 1955 |
Birth Place: | Christchurch, New Zealand |
Currentteam: | Retired |
Discipline: | Road |
Role: | Rider |
Proyears1: | 1979–1981 |
Proteam1: | Splendor |
Majorwins: | Grand Tours
1 individual stage (1980) |
Paul Jesson (born 14 January 1955) is a retired New Zealand professional racing cyclist. Jesson became the first New Zealander to win a stage at a grand tour when he won Stage 10 of the 1980 Vuelta a España.[1]
Jesson's first professional race for Splendor was the 1979 Tour de France. This occurred because his team did not have enough riders to start.[2]
In the prologue of the 1980 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré Jesson hit a parked car resulting in a serious crash. He was admitted to hospital where he was unconscious for a week and had his leg amputated below the knee.[1] Although the injury ended his professional racing career he did go on to win medals at the Paralympics[3]
Grand Tour | 1979 | 1980 | |
---|---|---|---|
Vuelta a España | – | 29 | |
Giro d'Italia | – | – | |
Tour de France | DNF | – |