Longo competed as a professional from 1960 to 1972 and for most of his career, he rode with the Salvarani team of Felice Gimondi. Longo's first wins in the World Championships in 1959 and 1962 were obtained after a battle with German Rolf Wolfshohl who won the title ahead of Longo in 1960, 1961 and 1963. In 1964, Wolfshohl focused on road racing and Longo became the master of cyclo-cross until Eric De Vlaeminck arrived – although Longo beat de Vlaeminck for his last world title in 1967.[2] In total he won more than 230 cyclo-cross races in his professional career.
