Born in Besançon, former professional racing cyclist from 1945 to 1954, Jean de Gribaldy began a successful career as directeur sportif in the mid 1960s.
Called le Vicomte ("the Viscount"), he is famous as team director for the discoveries of Seen Kelly, Joaquim Agostinho, Éric Caritoux and many more... He was also recognized as capable to give a new chance to many runners forsaken by the other teams. Most of them saw their career take a new dimension under the impulse of Jean de Gribaldy.
Since 1994, one of the streets of Besançon, city in which he was also a shop keeper, is called "Montée Jean de Gribaldy". Each year in July "the Jean de Gribaldy" race is organized in France around Montbéliard (Doubs département), and has become an important "rendez vous" of the bicycle touring. And also "La Montée Jean de Gibaldy" in Besançon. Pierre Diéterlé