Legnano Rally

The first Legnano bicycle rally was held in the Città di Legnano on May 29, 2010. Over a hundred fans invaded Legnano and participated in all the activities.

Leganano bikes were ridden by Alfredo Binda, Learco Guerra, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi and Ercole Baldini.

Famous riders participating in the rally were Ercole Baldini, Arnaldo Pambianco, Giorgio Albani, Vittorio Seghezzi, Ettore Milano and Danilo Gioia. Ercole Baldini won the Giro d'Italia in 1958, and in 1956 won a gold medal in the road race at the Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Also, in 1956 he stripped Jacques Anquetil of the hour record, riding 46.394 km at the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan. Baldini, holds a Legnano jersey:

Also present was Filippo Gnech, one of the heirs of the Bozzi family. The Bozzi family once again owns the Legnano brand, after recently resolving a licensing agreement issue with Bianchi, and has plans to revitalize the historic brand .

It was announced that a "Registro Storico Biciclette Legnano" (historic registry of Legnano bicycles) will be started and will include a collection of photographs, documents and information that will be of interest to collectors of the Legnano brand.

I also learned that the logo of the Legnano brand is based on the warrior "Alberto da Giussano". Alberto da Giussano was an Italian legendary Guelph warrior during the wars of the Lombard League against Frederick Barbarossa in 12th century. A tradition, probably fabricated by 14th century Milanese chroniclers, attributes to him the deed of forming the "Company of Death" that defended the Carroccio of the League at the Battle of Legnano. The first historical citation of his name is in 1196. You can see the statue of Alberto da Giussano, in the Piazza del Monumento, in the background in this photo taken at the Legnano rally:

A special Legnano postmark by the post office also marked the occasion:

Victories on Legnano bikes:
16 Giri d' Italia
1921 Brunero 1922 Brunero 1924 Enrici 1925 Binda
1926 Brunero 1927 Binda 1928 Binda 1929 Binda
1930 Marchisio 1932 Pesenti 1933 Binda 1936 Bartali
1937 Bartali 1940 Coppi 1946 Bartali 1958 Baldini

2 Giri di Francia
1938 Bartali 1948 Bartali

14 Giri di Lombardia
1923 Brunero 1924 Brunero 1925 Binda 1926 Binda
1927 Binda 1928 Belloni 1931 Binda 1936 Bartali
1939 Bartali 1940 Bartali 1941 Ricci 1946 Ricci
1950 Soldani 1952 Minardi

10 Milano - Sanremo
1922 Brunero 1924 Linari 1925 Girardengo 1926 Girardengo
1929 Binda 1931 Binda 1939 Bartali 1940 Bartali 1941 Favalli
1947 Bartali

7 Campionati del Mondo su strada
1927 Binda 1929 Bertolazzi 1930 Binda 1932 Binda
1955 Ranucci 1958 Baldini 1988 Fondriest

15 Campionati d' Italia su strada
1924 Girardengo 1925 Girardengo 1926 Binda 1927 Binda
1928 Binda 1929 Binda 1930 Binda 1937 Bartali 1940 Bartali
1942 Coppi 1943 Ricci 1956 Albani 1957 Baldini
1958 Baldini 1963 La squadra


Primato mondiale dell' ora su pista
7 dicembre 1942 Fausto Coppi km. 45,848
9 settembre 1956 Ercole Baldini km.46,394
con bicicletta Legnano di kg.6,700


Ercole Baldini, ha anche conquistato nel 1956 la medaglia d' oro ai Giochi Olimpici di Melbourne e nell' inseguimento dilettanti.

10 Giri del Piemonte
1921 Brunero 1925 Belloni 1926 Binda 1927 Binda 1937 Bartali
1939 Bartali 1949 Leoni 1952 Albani 1955 Minardi
1963 Durante

11 Giri di Toscana
1926 Binda 1927 Binda 1928 Binda 1939 Bartali 1940 Bartali
1941 Coppi 1947 Pasquini 1948 Bartali 1955 Ranucci
1956 Fabbri 1965 Sambi

5 Giri dell' Emilia
1920 Brunero 1924 Linari 1925 Girardengo 1941 Coppi
1949 Salimbeni

8 Giri del Veneto
1922 Sivocci 1925 Girardengo 1926 Girardengo 1928 Binda
1931 Canazza 1938 Magni S. 1941 Coppi 1956 Albani

5 Giri di Campania
1940 Bartali 1945 Bartali 1952 Minardi 1957 Albani
1963 Durante

7 Giri di Romagna
1923 Brunero 1926 Girardengo 1929 Binda 1938 Favalli
1954 Minardi 1957 Baldini 1964 Durante

7 Giri " Tre Valli Varesine "
1930 Binda Albino 1934 Canavesi 1938 Bartali 1941 Coppi
1952 Minardi 1953 Defilippis 1954 Albani

4 Giri del Lazio
1940 Bartali 1949 Salimbeni 1957 Baldini 1963 Durante

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