Cycling Museums In Italy

Please contact me with any additions.

Museo del Ciclismo Madonna del Ghisallo,

Via Gino Bartali, 4

22030 Magreglio (Co)

http://www.museodelghisallo.it/
Extensive museum; see photos from my visit:

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/05/ride-to-madonna-del-ghisallo-part-i.html

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/05/ride-to-madonna-del-ghisallo-part-ii.html

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/05/ride-to-madonna-del-ghisallo-part-iii.html

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/05/ride-to-madonna-del-ghisallo-part-iv.html

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/05/ride-to-madonna-del-ghisallo-part-v.html

Ciclo Museo "Gino Bartali"

Via Chiantigiana, 175,

50126 Ponte a Ema, Firenze

http://www.ciclomuseo-bartali.it/web/

Museo del Ciclismo Toni Pessot

Via Trieste,

Caneva

mailto:Canevabiblioteca.caneva@libero.it

Shown: Pink Jersey of Anquetil, WC jersey of Rik van Looy,1960

Museo dei Campionissimi a Novi Ligure

Viale dei Campionissimi,

15067 Novi Ligure (AL)

http://www.museodeicampionissimi.it/home.php

Read about a visit here.

Museo Alfredo Binda

Cittiglio (Varese)

http://www.comune.cittiglio.va.it/binda/

Colnago

Viale Brianza, 7/9

20040 Cambiago (MI)

http://www.colnago.com/

see video: http://insider.bikeradar.com/colnago/video/the-museum-with-a-rather-special-host/

Museo Storico della Bicicletta, Toni Bevilaqua (Collezione Sanvido)

Via Grei 6, Contrada Anquetil

Cesiomaggiore (Belluno)

http://www.museostoricodellabicicletta.it/

Museo de Falegname Tino Sano

Via Papa Giovanni XXIII, 6

Almenno San Bartolomeo (Bergamo)

http://www.tinosana.com/museo/

note: Felice Gimondi items

Museo Nicolis

via Postumia

Villafrance di Verona (VR)

http://www.museonicolis.com/

This museum has automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles and mechanical instruments. A visitor wrote, "this is the most complete representation of the evolution of the bicycle that you’re likely to find anywhere."

The Coppi Home at Castellania

Castellania, Alessandria (Piedmont)

http://www.faustocoppi.it/encasa.htm

The home to the Coppi brothers has been restored and is open on holidays and Saturdays (best to call 339.0143-744907 in advance). In addition to the home there is a documentation center, mausoleum and small museum.

Museo della Bicicletta "GIANNETTO CIMURRI"

Via Porta Brennone, 17

42100 Reggio Emilia

tel. 0522-454228 - 438622

Open to the public by appointment. The collection is based on items collected by Giannetto Cimurri who was a masseuse for many champions. He was present at 8 Olympics and 40 Giro d'Italias. The museum has 135 bicycles, including bikes belonging to Girardengo, Coppi, Bartali, Gimondi, Moser.

Photo: Bianchi used at the 1953 World Championships in Lugano by Coppi is among the bikes at the museum.

Museo del Ciclismo Colle del Gallo

Santuario Madonna dei Ciclisti - Colle del Gallo

24060 Gaverina Terme (BG)

tel. 035-814269 - 810154

Contact: Alessandro Mazzoleni

The museum was inaugurated during the 1998 Giro d'Italia del 1998 and has been collecting bicycles, jerseys, and memorobilia through contributiuons.

Spazio Pantani
Via Cecchini 2
47042 - Cesenatico
tel. 0547-672886
Multi-media museum in the birthplace town of Marco Pantani. The museum contains exhibition of photos, bikes, memorabilia and audiovisual materials. More details here.



Casa Gaia Da Camino
Via Businello, 2
31019 Portobuffolé (TV)
tel. 0422-850088 - fax 0434-780874
Racing bicycles, jerseys and other cycling memorabilia located on two floors of 14th century Renaissance building. More details here.



Museo del Ciclismo "Learco Guerra" (located within the Museo Tazio Nuvolari)
Piazza Broletto, 9
46100 Mantova (MN)
Among the highlights of the collection is the first pink jersey in the history of the Giro d'Italia, the rainbow jersey of World Champion, the yellow jersey of the Tour de France, and the tricolor Italian national championship jersey. There are also trophies, photographs, memorabilia and bicycles. One of the bikes is a MAINO that Guerra used to win Milan-Sanremo in 1933 and the Giro d'Italia the following year. More details here.
Note: as of January 11, 2010, the museum had been cloased since December 1, 2008, due to restoration of the palazzo. To contact the Museum staff please write to their e-mail address: info AT tazionuvolari.it, or contact Automobile Club Mantova, piazza 80° Fanteria, 13- 46100 Mantova (tel +39 0376 325691).




Bottega Museo di Ranieri Rossi,
Cicli f.lli Rossi,
Via Roma, 1
Siena
Private museum but open to the public. Museum contains diligently preserved equipment, tools, bicycles, parts and accessories. The collection also includes a substantial collection of books and vintage magazines. Reservations for the museum can be made by calling 349 5263212 or by email (see here).

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Giro d'Italia, Rome, May 31st

As I mentioned yesterday, the Giro d'Italia will finish this year in Rome, rather than Milano, on May 31st. At the presentation in Rome yesterday, in addition to announcing the new book "100 anni di passione", the organizers discussed the finalized route and a photographic exhibition.

The final, "epilogo", stage will begin in Piazza Venezia and end along via dei Forli Imperiali in the vicinity of the Colosseum . The 15.5 Km course will be fast with the first four kilometres consisting of a gradual climb which will be followed by a flat 11.5 Km.There will be 17 turns on the course which will pass Via Veneto, Piazza di Spagna, San Pietro, Castel Sant'Angelo, Piazza del Popolo, La Bocca della Verità and Il Circo Massimo.

The photography exhibition will be held at the Galleria Alberto Sordi (http://www.galleriaalbertosordi.it/) from the middle to the end of May.

Photos: Colosseum, stage profile and route

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Book: "100 Years of Passion"

The Giro d'Italia organizers have announced in Rome that a new book "100 anni di passione", by Pier Bergonzi and Elio Trifari, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Giro d'Italia will go on sale in Italy on April 20th. No details at the moment if the book will be available in English.

The Giro'd'Italia will finish in Rome this year on May 31st.

Photo: Francesco Moser at the front of the Colosseum in Rome, in 1984, at the Giro del Lazio.

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Trofeo Binda, UCI Women's Road World Cup

The first race of the UCI Women's Road World Cup series was won on Sunday in Cittiglio (Varese) by Marianne Vos who out sprinted Emma Johannson, third went to American Kristin Armstrong who out sprinted Eva Lutz for a podium spot. Vos's average speed was 36,350 Km/h on the same course of 2008.

It was a cold, driving rain, miserable day. It was so miserable that only 49 of the 135 starters finished the race.

Photos:Marian Vos; by Davide Tricarico: World Champion Nicole Cooke pre-race flanked to here right by Italian Cycling Federation president Renato Di Rocco, peloton, Vos and Johannson get away, a crash into the finish, Vos out sprints Johannson

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Lance Armstrong on Spin Bike

Lance Armstrong was on the spin bike today for the first time, riding 30 minutes. Pretty good considering the surgery required:

http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/03/lance-armstrong-surgery-results.html

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Glossary of Italian Bike Related Words and Expressions, Part II

Part I of the Glossary of Italian Bike Related Words and Expressions can be seen here:
http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2007/05/glossary-of-italian-bike-related-words.html

Part II covers some useful, and fun phrases, courtesy of www.bikemart.com for when you are riding in Italy or want to impress your friends:

Ride extremely fast.......
Vanno velocissime

You're not as fast as you look......
Non sei veloce come sembrai

Feel free to take a pull.....
Ha la cortesia di lavorare un po'

I'm conserving energy for the mountains.....
Io conservo energia per le montagne

The last 2 kilometers are killer.....
Gli ultimi due chilometri sono micidiali

Enough!.....
Basta!

Can you lead me out in the sprint?.....
Poi lavorare per mi nella volata?

Am I riding too fast for you?.....
Vado troppo veloce per te?

This climb is hard!....
Questa salita e dura!

I'm very tired!.....
Sono molto stanco!

How many kilometers to go?.....
Cuanti chilometri rimangano?

Haven't we been through this town before?....
No abbiamo passato questo villaggio gia?

I think my brakes are dragging.....
Credo che mi stanno rallentando I freni

Outta my way!.....
Lasciami passare!

Are you sure we are on the right road?.....
E questo la strada giusta?

I only ride titanium (steel).....
Solo vado in bicicleta di titanio (acciao)

My other bike is carbon-fiber.....
Il altro bicicleta mio 'e di carbonio

Superior technology.....
Technologia superiore

Go Cipollini!.....
Forza Cipollini!

Which way to the podium?.....
Dove' si trova il podio?

Waiter, more champagne for my domestiques!
Cameriere, piu' champagna per i mie compagni di squadra!

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

"9th Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali" Images

The Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali is an important 5 day stage race leading up to the Giro d'Italia. While some riders, such as Contador, Sastre, Valverde and Menchov used the Vuelta a Castilla y León race in Spain for their preparations, Damiano Cunego and Cadel Evans chose Italy and its Emilia-Romagna and Tuscana regions for their grand tour preparations. The race had an interesting Stage 1 split day format with a 81.2km road race followed by a team time trial of
14.3km.

Veronese Diamiano Cunego went on to win this edition, for the second time, beating 2nd placed Cadel Evans.

Photos: by Sirotti; team time trial which ISD won, racing in the countryside; Damiano Cunego couldn't get any closer to the edge of the road

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

GIOS Super Record: Attention to Detail

A customer must have been very impressed back in the day when his GIOS was delivered. Beautiful frameset, pantographed chainring, seatpost, stem, water bottle; plus a cycling jersey and cap, and a bottle of touch-up paint. All packaged perfectly. Very classy.

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

The Moser-Saronni Duels

The Museo del Ciclismo, Madonna del Ghisallo has had series of "Yesterday and Today" meetings for the public with famous Italian cyclists. This particular exchange between Moser and Saronni is quite entertaining. Good Italian practice....

Moser: «Nel 1968 andai alle Tre Cime di Lavaredo a vedere Eddy Merckx, cinque anni dopo correvo contro di lui».

Saronni: «Nel 1976 ero dilettante, facevo due o tre allenamenti alla settimana, e partecipai all’Olimpiade di Montreal, su pista. L’anno dopo debuttai tra i professionisti su strada».

Moser: «Lui sembrava un pistard».

Saronni: «Lui era già Moser».

Moser: «Sembrava solo un pistard, invece aveva stoffa».

Saronni: «E Moser era Moser».

Moser: «All’inizio non c’era rivalità».

Saronni: «Mondiale 1977, a San Cristobal. Moser era il leader. E io ero stato agli ordini di Martini. Anche nel finale, quando ormai lui era andato via con Thurau e gli altri scattavano per conquistare il terzo posto, io cercavo di chiudere per proteggerlo. Finché venne lì Bitossi: "Non preoccuparti, giovane, tu hai già lavorato tanto, adesso tocca a me". E così terzo arrivò lui».

Moser: «Nel 1978 la rivalità era fatta solo di schermaglie».

Saronni: «Mica tanto. Mondiale al Nurburgring. Fuga a tre: io, Hinault e Raas. Dietro si misero a tirare i belgi. Normale, se si pensa che davanti c’erano un italiano, un francese e un olandese. Ma si diceva che, a farli tirare, fosse Moser. Tant’è che, una volta che ci hanno ripresi, a scattare fu proprio Moser con Knetemann».

Moser: «Gli altri corridori si lamentavano: i giornali, dicevano, scrivono solo di voi due. Invece a noi faceva piacere».

Saronni: «La stagione cominciava con i ciclocross e la Sei Giorni di Milano, poi proseguiva dal Laigueglia fino al Lombardia. Dieci mesi uno contro l’altro».

Moser: «Le rivalità stanno in piedi solo se i due rivali sono all’altezza delle situazioni».

Saronni: «Spesso i giornalisti hanno scritto meno di quello che si poteva, però hanno scritto tanto. Veniva Beppe Conti: "Sai cos’ha detto di te quello là?". Io abboccavo e rispondevo per le rime».

Moser: «Di noi due si scriveva sempre, comunque e dovunque».

Saronni: «I tifosi erano schierati».

Moser: «C’erano anche quelli per Baronchelli o Gavazzi, ma erano minoranze».

Saronni: «Cori sotto l’albergo».

Moser: «Cartelli, striscioni, scritte sui muri».

Saronni: «Anche i giornalisti. Conti era per Moser, Zomegnan per me».

Moser: «All’estero dicevano che la nostra rivalità fosse provinciale».

Saronni: «Ma allora il grande ciclismo era quello italiano».

Moser: «Nel 1978 conquistai la mia prima Parigi-Roubaix, da solo, per distacco».

Saronni: «Avevo 19 anni e tre mesi, c’era la neve, fu un dramma. Finii sotto la macchina del mio direttore sportivo».

Moser: «Nel 1980 conquistai la Parigi-Roubaix per la terza volta consecutiva e sempre per distacco».

Saronni: «I giornalisti mi chiesero che cosa ne pensassi. Risposi che la Roubaix era un ciclocross da abolire».

Moser: «Fu il finimondo».

Saronni: «Però due giorni dopo vinsi la Freccia Vallone».

Moser: «Eccolo: il dualismo».

Saronni: «Tirreno-Adriatico del 1981. Dissi: "Quello lì vado a prenderlo anche con le scarpe da tennis"».

Moser: «Campionato italiano a Compiano, nel 1981. Saronni mi tagliò la strada, gli dissi: "Piano, mi fai cadere"».

Saronni: «Gli risposi: "Se non sai più stare in bici..."».

Moser: «Quella frase mi caricò come una molla».

Saronni: «Quella frase la pagai a caro prezzo. Vinse lui».

Moser: «A volte mi chiedevo se ne valesse la pena di insultarci così. Pensavo al giorno dopo, quando avrei dovuto rientrare in gruppo e correre».

Saronni: «Di quegli anni ricordo la folla sulle strade. Pedalavi e sentivi quello che diceva».

Moser: «Ricordo il Mondiale di Praga, nel 1981».

Saronni: «I più importanti corridori stavano nella squadra azzurra. Martini si era raccomandato: "A tre giri dalla fine tutti per la volata di Saronni". Infatti: a tre giri dalla fine scattò Battaglin. Risultato: primo Maertens, secondo io».

Moser: «Ti sei rifatto l’anno dopo, al Mondiale di Goodwood. Ho capito che non era il mio percorso, a meno che non partisse una fuga da lontano».

Saronni: «Non ho avuto aiuti».

Moser: «Io gregario? Mai».

Saronni: «Moser è stato il mio avversario numero 1 fino al 1983. Dal 1984 in poi era un altro: l’unico a poter accedere a nuove metodologie di allenamento. A quel punto Moser si confrontava e sfidava solo se stesso».

Moser: «Saronni ha pagato il Giro d’Italia del 1983. L’ha vinto ma con grande fatica. Sarà stato quello a provocargli il declino a soli 26-27 anni».

Saronni: «Quando Moser stabilì i record dell’ora, prima a 50,808, poi addirittura a 51,151, quasi non si credeva che potesse essere vero. Ma non ne soffrii. Ormai il nostro non era più un confronto diretto o personale».

Moser: «Di Saronni ho sempre invidiato la velocità, e che potesse vincere facilmente in volata. Invece io dovevo muovermi prima e fare molta più fatica di lui».

Saronni: «Di Moser ho sempre ammirato il fondo, la volontà, la voglia, la capacità di soffrire. Per me la corsa doveva essere più facile. Lui era costretto a essere generoso, io a risparmiare. Lui era portato a seguire l’istinto, io a fare calcoli».

Moser: «E pensare che una volta abbiamo corso insieme».

Saronni: «Trofeo Baracchi, nel 1979».

Moser: «Le coppie le faceva Baracchi, padre-padrone della corsa. E’ stato lui a metterci insieme».

Saronni: «Dovevamo trovarci un giorno e mezzo prima per provare il percorso. Niente. Rimandato al giorno prima per provare almeno i cambi. Niente. Non abbiamo fatto insieme neanche il riscaldamento: ci siamo trovati direttamente sulla passerella alla partenza».

Moser: «C’era una coppia belga, forte, ma è caduta».

Saronni: «Moser mi ha tirato il collo, forse voleva staccarmi. Alla fine ero così distrutto che non riuscivo neanche più a sedermi».

Moser: «Adesso va molto meglio».

Saronni: «Sì, è vero, però... Francesco produce vino, che è pure buono. A me piace il vino rosso, ma lui non me ne ha mai regalato una bottiglia».

Moser: «Io faccio il vino per venderlo. Ma se vieni a prenderlo a casa mia, poi te ne regalo. Una bottiglia».

Photo: left-right: Giuseppe Saronni, Fiorenzo Magni, Francesco Moser and Beppe Conti at the Museo del Ciclismo, Madonna del Ghisallo

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Ettore Bugatti Designed Bicycles

This is an interesting story that I've pieced together from several sources and based upon information that has recently come to light. Read on.....

Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti was born in Milan on 15 September 1881 and at the age of 17 he joined as an apprentice the bicycle and tricycle manufacturing plant of Prinetti & Stucchi. He is the Bugatti that went on to become the legendary engineer and designer of the most famous Bugatti sports cars, the founder of the Bugatti car manufacturing plant, and one of the forefathers of modern automobile engineering.

In 1913 he designed a very unique, space-frame, bicycle which was never produced. The drawings for this bicycle were provided to Californian Art Stump in the 1970s by a noted English Bugatti collector who commissioned him to build a bicycle based on the drawings. Art Stump built one for that collector, and one for himself as well.

A source tell me, "Art probably updated the design somewhat from the Bugatti drawings I have seen, going with steeper angles. Art had a drafting table, so redrawing a bike and figuring out the missing details would not be that hard to do. Note that the Stump Bugatti uses Art Stump's cast rear dropouts, elegant but a bit thin."

The Bugatti bicycle that Art Stump built for himself recently surfaced with the owner saying, "He sold his own Bugatti bicycle to my father who had shown an interest in the first (one built). This bicycle is the 2nd of the Bugatti bikes." This is a photo of Bugatti no.2 by Art Stump:

The owner went on to say, "They are both fillet brazed steel frames and due to the complicated nature of the construction with all the tubes and cross members, the frames took 1000 hours each to make! The problem was resetting the jig and all the alignments after each application of heat. I inherited the bicycle from my father, a noted Bugatti man, himself....the sister bike is also in the UK."

Art Stump also made only, approximately, 10 traditional diamond design frames that are highly thought of by collectors for their lug work and drilled components.

Photos: the first three photos were found on the Internet without specification as to whether it was no.1 or no.2 by Art Stump; the last photo is of no. 2 (ed. note; UPDATE! I've been in touch with the owner of no.2 and he writes, "I note that you found the Internet pics of another Bugatti bike also. That may be Bugatti bike number 1 by Art Stump but it looks more like the third one that was built sometime later and not by Art Stump. I know the other Art Stump bike also and I do not think the pictures are of it. I also am sure that a third one was built sometime later by am unknown but obviously skilled enthusiast and I think those are the pics. Notice the cross members on the forks and not on my Art Stump one. As I said I think this is the case but I can't be sure. I will get some pics of the other Art Stump Bugatti bike and get them to you sometime."

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Gran Fondo "Lake Garda Tour" Images

Mr. Mario Facchini, of Ph.Newspower-Eos (http://www.newspower.it/), was very gracious in providing some terrific photos of the Gran Fondo "Lake Garda Tour", in which there were approximately 2,000 riders, held on March 15th.

After the Maratona dles Dolomites this was next favorite granfondo. The granfondo distance is 155km on a route that takes you counter clockwise around the entire perimeter of Lake Garda. Really fantastic as you past through and by the beautiful lakeside towns of Lake Garda. If you are lucky you might just catch your breath enough to enjoy the vistas looking across Italy's largest lake.

The mediofondo of 94 km is interesting in that you take a ferry from Bardolino across to the west side of Lake Garda where the start line is; the mediofondo gets underway once the leaders of the granfondo pass.


The men's 155km race came down to a sprint won by Andrea Ballan (pictured) in 4h 1m.

Photos: Mario Facchini

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

Lance Armstrong Surgery Results

Lance Armstrong's collarbone fracture was not as clean as first reported, and his three hour surgery required the use of a 5 inch stainless steel plate with 12 screws to repair the fracture.

"Normally we see 8-12 weeks for something like this to heal completely," Dr. Elenz said, stressing the word "completely." In terms of rehabilitation, the doctor wants Armstrong to take it easy for a week to let the wound heal, start back into aerobic training using a stationary bike so as not use his upper body, and then he would see about letting Armstrong out on the road. Doctors will monitor Armstrong's arm strength, range of motion in his shoulder, as well as his pain level in order to decide what kind of training he can do.

As I write this there are 43 days, 20 hours, and 19 minutes remaining to the Giro d'Italia start. Armstrong wrote at this moment, "Surgery/anesthesia/jetlag = hurtin' like hell."

Photo: collarbone photo from Team Astana

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com