Even though he did not have an enormously athletic look, Renato Longo was a top-class cyclo-cross rider. The tall, slim baker from Vittorio Veneto has been more than a basic figure of the international cyclo-cross. Before the long-legged Italian ran the show in the "mud crosses" in those days, which often had little to do with the basic principles of cyclo-cross, he was a talented motor pacer with the amateurs. He even became the Italian champion in this discipline in 1958. After the world championship had resulted in a fiasco, Longo decided to go for cyclo-cross racing. When he was young he had already shown his talent for this sport. Longo's decision to give priority to cyclo-cross resulted in great success. He immediately became Italian champion with the professional riders in 1959 and would conquer that title twelve times.
He was unbeatable in his own country, but Renato Longo also held his own in the international field. After all, he also became world champion in Geneva that year and by doing so ended the French hegemony, which had lasted for 22 years. In Geneva, Longo fought a fierce battle with the young German coming man Rolf Wolfshohl, in which the German was defeated. But he would take revenge, because the two following world titles went to the technically more skilled Wolfshohl. Renato Longo became world champion for the second time in 1962 in the woody Esch-sur-Alzette. One year later, Wolfshohl retaliated mercilessly on the frozen ground of Calais and reconquered the rainbow jersey. When after that Wolfshohl concentrated even more on the road, Renato Longo became the unapproachable master of the cyclo-cross. In 1964 he won his third world title in the flooded Overboelare and one year later he won his fourth rainbow jersey in Cavaria.
In 1966, the cyclo-cross world was introduced to Erik de Vlaeminck, who prevented the favourite Longo from winning a new world title in the Spanish Beasain. One year later, however, the Italian was presented with a tailor-made track in Zurich. During the wet and muddy race, Longo made giant steps with his long legs, with which he laid the foundation of his fifth world title. After that success, he definitively had to pass on the lead to Erik de Vlaeminck, who completely overshadowed Longo with seven world titles. Although the Italian remained active until 1972, after that he only succeeded once more to win a medal in the world championships. In 1972 he ended his impressive cycling career as Italian champion. Longo conquered the Italian title twelve times.

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