The whispers and rumblings that the Giro d'Italia start for Washington D.C. next year may not be happening appear to have some merit. DR Sporten reports:
"DR Sporten erfarer, at Giro d'Italia starter i Herning i 2012.
Hernings borgmester Lars Krarup vil ikke bekræfte det. Men han siger, at der på et pressemøde i Horsens fredag vil blive annonceret, at en stor sportsbegivenhed kommer til Herning. Og det er ifølge DR Sportens oplysninger det store italienske cykelløb, der er tale om.
Noget kunne tyde på, at Horsens også bliver involveret i løbet, i og med det bliver offentliggjort der og ikke i Herning.
De midtjyske byer er blevet valgt frem for Washington DC og Monaco."
Poor translation:
"DR Sport understands that the Giro d'Italia will start in Herning in 2012.
Herning Mayor Lars Krarup would not confirm it. But he says that at a news conference in Horsens tomorrow a major sporting event will be announced that is coming to Herning. And it is, according to DR Sport information, the major Italian bicycle race.
It would seem that Horsens also is involved in the race, with it being announced there and not in Herning.
The central Jutland cities have been chosen over Washington DC and Monaco."
Tomorrow is April Fool's day...let see what happens!
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Thursday, March 31, 2011
Beware of Fake Pinarello Bikes
We issued this alert back in January. Pinarello has now issued a new warning on imitation Pinarello bikes entering the markets. According to Pinarello they originate from online stores, mostly from Asia.
A Pinarello Dogma for half the regular retail price or even less? Lots of road race enthusiasts are attracted by such prices and there are number of cases in Europe and North America with buyers actually purchasing such fake Pinarello’s. Most of them originate from Asian internet sites but as the company is warning – these are not the same bikes as the originals. They are made from inferior materials and then painted and labeled with fake Pinarello transfers. Next to quality issues the buyers of such bikes are also faced with warranty problems as Pinarello is of course not offering its regular after sales service on the imitation Pinarello’s.
Fausto Pinarello says: “It’s not just a sticker that makes a Pinarello but unfortunately some people think so. They are found mainly online and are fake bikes, copies of our frames, made with inferior materials compared to the Toray carbon which we use on our top models. Structurally they are not only less efficient, but they are also more fragile and hence at risk of failure which can cause injury to the rider. We ask all road race enthusiasts to pay greater attention and today, begin to campaign in order to raise the awareness across all cycling media productions worldwide. Pinarello does not sell online; we prefer that the client has direct contact with us or with our resellers; this ensures and guarantees a high quality bike at the time of their purchase.”
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Giro d'Italia, Official Partner of Gran Fondo New York
Perhaps the Giro d'Italia isn't coming to Washington D.C. in 2012 but it is now associating itself with the Gran Fondo New York. These words today from the organizer:
"Giro d'Italia, the most intense and exciting professional cycling race in the world, is an Official Partner of Gran Fondo New York. The partnership between the two races was forged based on the Italian cycling heritage of Gran Fondo amateur racing coming to the world's greatest city, New York, and Giro d'Italia being the most prestigious professional race in Italy.
The concept of cycling competitively over a long route is a groundbreaking concept in the New York metropolitan area and already in its first year, Gran Fondo New York is making history as the largest competitive non-running event. The inaugural Gran Fondo New York takes place on May 8, 2011 and will see thousands of cyclists from five continents ride and race from New York City to Bear Mountain and back in a 107-mile course.
Giro d'Italia has the world's most passionate fans and is an inherent part of the Italian culture. While the first Giro stage kicks off in Italy on May 7, 2011, cycling fans in New York City can take part in the Giro d'Italia excitement at the Gran Fondo New York expo. Giro d'Italia will present classic pictures of the race, official Giro merchandise and broadcast past stages of the race at the two-day expo at Roseland Ballroom in midtown Manhattan on May 6 and 7, 2011.
The Giro is associated with high-profile racing, fame and aspiration. At Gran Fondo New York, big dreams can be attained by amateur cyclists. Gran Fondo New York is an Official Qualifier for the UCI Amateur World Championship, which takes place in Belgium in September. The UCI amateur racing series is the new frontier in cycling that enables everyone to compete and to achieve personal goals.
"At Giro d'Italia, professional riders of Team Sky and Team Movistar represent our brand with their strong performances. At events like La Pinarello Cycling Marathon and Gran Fondo New York, Pinarello gets a one-on-one interaction with the amateur cyclists who are the end-users of our products" said Andrea Pinarello of Cicli Pinarello. "I am looking forward to riding Gran Fondo New York, it will be a lot of fun."
During the Gran Fondo New York press conference held in Milan, Italy on Friday, March 18, Giro d'Italia organizer Angelo Zomegnan said "Gran Fondo New York is currently the most interesting sports project in the world. The partnership with the Giro d'Italia shows the world what a real Italian Gran Fondo is about: competition
and true passion for cycling."
The President of the Italian Cycling Federation and Vice President of the International Cycling Union, Renato Di Rocco, also attended the Gran Fondo New York press conference in Milan. Di Rocco said "With the creation of the UCI World Cycling Tour, the International Cycling Union provides a platform for amateur racers to compete in a true Amateur World Championship. We're delighted to have Gran Fondo New York as one of the Official Qualifier events for the World Championship in Belgium in September."
The day after the Gran Fondo New York press conference, the Milano-Sanremo professional cycling race was taking place. Gran Fondo New York caught up with George Hincapie before the start. During a brief interview, Hincapie said "It would be great to get the chance to ride Gran Fondo New York. The course is on my old stomping grounds."
To date, cyclists from 33 countries and 34 US states are registered to ride in Gran Fondo New York. In its inaugural edition, the event already boasts among the largest and most international cycling fields in the world."
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Pantani Bike Project
From Grupetto Italia, the latest news on the Pantani models:
"Grupetto Italia, importers of fine Italian cycling products, are now able to offer their customers the full range of Pantani bikes in the UK. Following an agreement with Podium, the Builders of Pantani have developed a collection of stunning new models for the 2011 range. Under the title of the "Pantani Bike Project", and supported by Pantani's family, bicycles bearing the "Marco Pantani" signature are now part of the Grupetto portfolio. Aiming at both fitness,sportive, race and elite riders the choice is exceptional with all budget levels covered.
As with many true champions, Pantani was known for demanding the very highest level of performance from his bikes, often spending hours with his mechanics fine tuning and making marginal adjustments on the eve of major mountain stages. The bikes he rode to his early and, arguably his most successful victories in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, where made by Podium and his parents, Paolo and Tonina, have now turned to the same firm (owned by ex-pro Davide Boifava who also built for Stephen Roche and Claudio Chiappucci at their prime ) to build the Marco Pantani models. The resulting Pantani Bike project has developed some beautiful carbon frames that use the very latest materials and technology with bikes aimed at riders who want the very best in both performance and appearances. Some of the stars of the range can be seen below, all of the range can be bought as complete bikes built up with either Campag, Shimano or SRAM and FSA/Mavic finishing kits or as Frame and forks only. For more information visit www.grupettoitalia.co.uk"
A few other models are also available, see www.grupettoitalia.co.uk for details.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Opportunity to Ride the Giro d'Italia Route
From the The Prostate Cancer Charity, organizer of the Gran Corsa d'Italia (note: this charity event begins on the date the 94th edition of the Giro d'Italia ends):
Gran Corsa d'Italia
29th May - 20th June 2011
Experience the passion and the glory of cycling's most epic race by riding part, or even all, of the 2011 Giro d'Italia.
The Prostate Cancer Charity, in partnership with Sharp Electronics, have teamed up with Phil Deeker and Classic Tours to offer up to 200 riders the ultimate Grand Tour riding experience, in a bid to raise significant funds to improve the lives of those affected by prostate cancer.
The Gran Corsa d'Italia offers a once in a lifetime cycling experience; riding fully supported in the tyre tracks of the pros, accompanied by team members from Rapha Condor Sharp on each stage.
The route, designed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Italy's unification, takes in almost every region's highlight - from Sicily's Mt. Etna to the Dolomites. Setting off from Turin on 29th May, the Gran Corsa team will follow each of the 21 stages, including seven mountain top finishes.
Riders will arrange their own travel to and from the event, and book half board accommodation through our tour operator Classic Tours, and commit to raising sponsorship for The Prostate Cancer Charity. Riders taking part in one pack will pledge to raise £500, £750 to combine 2 packs, and £1250 to take part in 3 packs up to the full route. All of the other arrangements are taken care of by Classic Tours, from transfers between stages, route signage, feed stops and luggage transportation.
We have split the 21 stages of the Giro d'Italia route into 7 packs, designed to allow you to find a selection of stages to suit your ambitions and cycling preferences. Each pack includes 3 stages (which can be combined).
We ask riders to pledge to raise a minimum of:
- £500 to take part in one pack
- £750 to combine two packs
- £1250 to take part in three or more packs
Pack previews:
Pack 1: The Rouleur's Romp 29-31 May 2011 - Get yourself started with 3 flat stages, for a long distance challenge.
Pack 2: The Trio for Tourists 1-3 June 2011 - An exceptional selection of coastal stages for those seeking the 'real Italy'.
Pack 3: The Weekend Warrior Whirl 4-6 June 2011 - Experience the combination of sea side flat stages, and the remarkable climb of Mount Etna.
Pack 4: The Roule 'n Roll Party 8-10 June 2011 - Take on the wild, undulating countryside and historic hill-top towns.
Pack 5: The Pain Pack 12-14 June 2011 - A Dolomite extravaganza, allowing you to list the Zoncolan on your list of cycling achievements.
Pack 6: The Glory Pack 15-17 June 2011 - Spectacular climbs, and stunning views of Lake Como; Northern Italy in all its glory.
Pack 7: The Finale Pack 18-20 June 2011 - Ride over the Colle del Finestre and Sestriere and share in decades of cycling tradition; celebrate the conclusion of the Gran Corsa d'Italia in style!
Riders will organise their own travel to and from the Italy, and pay for their accommodation (booked through our tour operator at an average cost of 50 euros per night). We recommend riders book their flights to arrive the night prior to their first stage, and to depart the day following their last stage. All transfers and meals within the tour will be provided through our tour operator.
"We are talking about the very same route that forms one of the three major stage races in the world of cycle sport; that means the same mountains, same descents, same transfers and same sprint stages." The Washingmachine Post
Take a look at our information sheet to find out what you will need to apply, and download our stage selection guide. Finally complete the application form. We are limited to 200 participants, so apply early to secure your place.
Registration and all details at Gran Corsa d'Italia. Registrants will also have a chance to win a limited edition Condor Acciaio bicycle.
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CICLISMO Magazine: Best of the Year
CICLISMO magazine readers have voted for best cycling products of the year and at a ceremony at Edisport’s (the publisher) headquarter in Pero, nearby Milan, on Friday March 25th the awards were presented. The winners in the various categories:
Corsa (Road)
vincitore: Bianchi Oltre (above, Bianchi's Angelo Lecchi (Product Manager) and Claudio Masnata (Marketing Manager) receiving the prestigious Bike of the Year award)
2° classificato: Pinarello Dogma
3° classificato: Cipollini RB 1000
MTB
vincitore: Cannondale Flash carbon ultimate
2° classificato: Bianchi Methanol sl
3° classificato: Specialized Epic s-works
City
vincitore: Cinelli Gazzetta
2° classificato: Bianchi Spillo diamante
3° classificato: Cannondale Quick cx carbon ultimate
Ruote (Wheels)
vincitore: Fulcrum Racing speed xlr
2° classificato: Campagnolo Bora ultra two
3° classificato: Mavic Cosmic ultimate
Gruppi (Groups)
vincitore: Campagnolo Super record
2° classificato: Shimano Dura Ace Di2
3° classificato: Sram Red, Tour de France edition
Pedali (Pedals)
vincitore: Look Kéo Blade
2° classificato: Speedplay Zero
3° classificato: Shimano Xtr
Manubri (Handlebars)
vincitore: Fsa Plasma white compact
2° classificato: Deda elementi Alanera rhm
3° classificato: Ritchey Superlogic evolution
Selle (Saddles)
vincitore: Selle Italia Slr team edition monolink
2° classificato: Smp Full carbon
3° classificato: Prologo Scratch pro nack
Coperture (Tires)
vincitore: Michelin Pro3 light
2° classificato: Schwalbe Ultremo zx
3° Continental GP4000 24 mm
Negozio (Store)
Cicli Conti di Nibionno (Lc)
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Corsa (Road)
vincitore: Bianchi Oltre (above, Bianchi's Angelo Lecchi (Product Manager) and Claudio Masnata (Marketing Manager) receiving the prestigious Bike of the Year award)
2° classificato: Pinarello Dogma
3° classificato: Cipollini RB 1000
MTB
vincitore: Cannondale Flash carbon ultimate
2° classificato: Bianchi Methanol sl
3° classificato: Specialized Epic s-works
City
vincitore: Cinelli Gazzetta
2° classificato: Bianchi Spillo diamante
3° classificato: Cannondale Quick cx carbon ultimate
Ruote (Wheels)
vincitore: Fulcrum Racing speed xlr
2° classificato: Campagnolo Bora ultra two
3° classificato: Mavic Cosmic ultimate
Gruppi (Groups)
vincitore: Campagnolo Super record
2° classificato: Shimano Dura Ace Di2
3° classificato: Sram Red, Tour de France edition
Pedali (Pedals)
vincitore: Look Kéo Blade
2° classificato: Speedplay Zero
3° classificato: Shimano Xtr
Manubri (Handlebars)
vincitore: Fsa Plasma white compact
2° classificato: Deda elementi Alanera rhm
3° classificato: Ritchey Superlogic evolution
Selle (Saddles)
vincitore: Selle Italia Slr team edition monolink
2° classificato: Smp Full carbon
3° classificato: Prologo Scratch pro nack
Coperture (Tires)
vincitore: Michelin Pro3 light
2° classificato: Schwalbe Ultremo zx
3° Continental GP4000 24 mm
Negozio (Store)
Cicli Conti di Nibionno (Lc)
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Giovanni Visconti's Bike Stolen
Italian national champion Giovanni Visconti's "Cipollini RB1000", in the one-off Italian championship colors, was stolen out of his car today in Vicenza. The precautions to park the car in front of the reception of the hotel and to cover the bike that was in the trunk were not enough to deter the thieves that broke through the glass to get in.
It's (another) reminder that you do have to be careful about your bike. Bikes do get stolen in Italy.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Sidi: A Winning Recipe with Basso and Nibali
Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali having been also working on a new TV ad in which they cook up a pair of Sidi cycling shoes. By the way, gold shoes are in.
For the record, Ivan Basso uses Genius 6.6 Carbon Lite shoes, while Vincenzo Nibali prefers the Ergo 2 Carbon Lite model.
Visit www.sidisport.com to see video clips with Basso and Nibali on the set as they are making the commercial.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Team Type 1 Bikes Stolen at Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali
ZOLA PREDOSA, Italy, March 26 - Thieves broke in to locked Team Type 1 - sanofi-aventis vehicles overnight on Friday in a parking lot outside the race hotel, stealing more than 500,000 euros worth of bicycles, tools, spare parts and equipment, forcing the team to abandon the start at Stage 5 of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali in Italy.
Team mechanics came out on Saturday morning and found the front window of a team car smashed and the vehicle pushed back from the back door of the locked panel van used to store equipment. The locks on the side and back doors of the panel van were forced open and all bicycles, tools, wheels, spare parts and equipment were stolen.
The large luggage door underneath the team bus was pried off and removed from the vehicle and all bikes mounted in the storage bin under the bus were stolen.
Police were called and arrived around 8:30 am, and began an investigation.
"This is a sad and terrible situation. We are devastated by the loss of so much equipment and the invaluable sizing and measurement information for our time trial and race bikes. It's only a matter of time before these bikes resurface for sale somewhere, and we simply ask our friends and supporters to help us find the bikes and help the police catch the thieves," said Director Sportif Vassili Davidenko.
The following statement was also issued Team Type 1 CEO and Founder Phil Southerland: "Having to withdraw from Coppi-Bartali as a result of the devastating loss of equipment is a tremendous disappointment for the team, especially after riding so well here with Rubens and Lazlo both in the top ten in the time trial on Stage 4 and Andrea 2nd in the sprint in the opening stage. It’s an unfortunate situation but our immediate priority is getting our guys back on bikes. We have extraordinary partners in sanofi-aventis, Colnago, Shimano, Limar, and Park Tools, and are working closely with all of them to ensure our guys can be ready to compete in Vitre on April 1st."
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Team mechanics came out on Saturday morning and found the front window of a team car smashed and the vehicle pushed back from the back door of the locked panel van used to store equipment. The locks on the side and back doors of the panel van were forced open and all bicycles, tools, wheels, spare parts and equipment were stolen.
The large luggage door underneath the team bus was pried off and removed from the vehicle and all bikes mounted in the storage bin under the bus were stolen.
Police were called and arrived around 8:30 am, and began an investigation.
"This is a sad and terrible situation. We are devastated by the loss of so much equipment and the invaluable sizing and measurement information for our time trial and race bikes. It's only a matter of time before these bikes resurface for sale somewhere, and we simply ask our friends and supporters to help us find the bikes and help the police catch the thieves," said Director Sportif Vassili Davidenko.
The following statement was also issued Team Type 1 CEO and Founder Phil Southerland: "Having to withdraw from Coppi-Bartali as a result of the devastating loss of equipment is a tremendous disappointment for the team, especially after riding so well here with Rubens and Lazlo both in the top ten in the time trial on Stage 4 and Andrea 2nd in the sprint in the opening stage. It’s an unfortunate situation but our immediate priority is getting our guys back on bikes. We have extraordinary partners in sanofi-aventis, Colnago, Shimano, Limar, and Park Tools, and are working closely with all of them to ensure our guys can be ready to compete in Vitre on April 1st."
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Whispers & Rumblings: No Giro in D.C. Next Year
There are whispers and rumblings that the 2012 Giro d'Italia will not start next year in Washington D.C. To repeat, these are whispers and rumblings, totally unconfirmed.
It was back in November, 2009, when according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Giro d'Italia was considering starting its three-week race outside of Europe for the first time. "For some time we have had the idea of holding the Giro's start in America. But now there exists a concrete interest from the city of Washington," said race director Angelo Zomegnan. Wahington's then Mayor, Adrian Fenty, a cycling fan was very interested in the project and was supporting it (see Parts I, II, and III for more details).
Italian ambassador to the United States Giulio Terzi, Mayor Adrian Fenty, and Angelo Zomegan
Two important meetings took place in Washington in December, 2009, between a delegation from RCS Sport, led by Angelo Zomegnan, and Mayor Adrian Fenty and city authorities.
In February, 2010, Washington D.C. a reception was held at the Italian Embassy with Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata, Washington D.C Mayor Adrian Fenty and Giro director Angelo Zomegnan. Although nor formal announcement was made the working group updated the gathering on the planning. The original plan of a prologue plus a stage was changed. The new plan called for a prologue on a Saturday, return to Italy on Sunday, rest day on Monday, and the Giro then starting on Italian soil on Tuesday.
In May, 2010, a delegation from Washington D.C. visited Amsterdam to get an idea of the logistics involved with putting on the start of a Giro.
July, 2010, presented an opportunity for D.C. to prove its ability to host a large-scale pro cycling road race when the Capital Criterium race took over Pennsylvania Avenue, organized by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA). The race’s director, Washington Attorney Mark Sommers, is also chairman of the working group of the 2012 Giro D’Italia. Before the start of the race Mayor Fenty rode for charity sporting a pink jersey. Fenty was optimistic, saying ”I really do envision the race coming and just sending an electric bolt through the world of cycling.” Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata was optimistic:
In September, 2010, Fenty lost Washington D.C.'s mayoral primary election to Vince Gray. "Washington, D.C., is doing some fantastic things right now, and we both want those fantastic things to continue," said Fenty.
Since then the project has gone quiet in the media. The political demise of Mayor Fenty may have been the undoing of the project.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
It was back in November, 2009, when according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Giro d'Italia was considering starting its three-week race outside of Europe for the first time. "For some time we have had the idea of holding the Giro's start in America. But now there exists a concrete interest from the city of Washington," said race director Angelo Zomegnan. Wahington's then Mayor, Adrian Fenty, a cycling fan was very interested in the project and was supporting it (see Parts I, II, and III for more details).
Italian ambassador to the United States Giulio Terzi, Mayor Adrian Fenty, and Angelo ZomeganTwo important meetings took place in Washington in December, 2009, between a delegation from RCS Sport, led by Angelo Zomegnan, and Mayor Adrian Fenty and city authorities.
In February, 2010, Washington D.C. a reception was held at the Italian Embassy with Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata, Washington D.C Mayor Adrian Fenty and Giro director Angelo Zomegnan. Although nor formal announcement was made the working group updated the gathering on the planning. The original plan of a prologue plus a stage was changed. The new plan called for a prologue on a Saturday, return to Italy on Sunday, rest day on Monday, and the Giro then starting on Italian soil on Tuesday.
In May, 2010, a delegation from Washington D.C. visited Amsterdam to get an idea of the logistics involved with putting on the start of a Giro.
July, 2010, presented an opportunity for D.C. to prove its ability to host a large-scale pro cycling road race when the Capital Criterium race took over Pennsylvania Avenue, organized by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA). The race’s director, Washington Attorney Mark Sommers, is also chairman of the working group of the 2012 Giro D’Italia. Before the start of the race Mayor Fenty rode for charity sporting a pink jersey. Fenty was optimistic, saying ”I really do envision the race coming and just sending an electric bolt through the world of cycling.” Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata was optimistic:
In September, 2010, Fenty lost Washington D.C.'s mayoral primary election to Vince Gray. "Washington, D.C., is doing some fantastic things right now, and we both want those fantastic things to continue," said Fenty.
Since then the project has gone quiet in the media. The political demise of Mayor Fenty may have been the undoing of the project.
Follow on Twitter: ITALIANCYCJOURN
Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Friday, March 25, 2011
The Giro and the Contador Problem, Part II
Part I
Angelo Zomegnan, Director of the Giro d'Italia, mentioned the matter today during a conference in Milano. "The sport's justice process is slower than we would wish", said Zomegnan. "Clearly, something is not working in the guarantee of our event. I have my hands tied, I can not tell Contador to go home if he and his team want to take part. There is always the presumption of innocence and Contador at the moment is an acquitted athlete in a process and is free to race. But it is clear that this is not the ideal situation."
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Milan-Sanremo Japanese Flag on Auction
www.all1sport.com is auctioning a Japanese flag that rider Takashi Myazawa (Farnese Vini) brought to the start of Milan-Sanremo; the flag was signed by all the riders in the race. Also at auction is the jersey Takashi Myazawa wore at MSR.
Funds raised in the auction will be donated to the charity of Myazawa's choice for earthquake victims in Japan.
The auction ends March 26, 2011 at 2400 (Italy time). At the moment the flag is at 1500 euro and the jersey at 300 euro.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Giro and the Contador Problem
Alberto Contador, winner of the 2008 Giro d'Italia, has announced that he intends to race this year's Giro. Normally, that would be all well and good. However, this could lead to the possibility that if Contador were to win this year's Giro he could conceivably be stripped of his victory. Read on....
On Novemebr 8, 2010: The UCI requested the Spanish National Cycling Federation (RFEC) to open disciplinary proceedings against Contador on the basis of an analysis report indicating an abnormal result (presence of clenbuterol) in a urine sample taken from the Spanish rider during a test carried out on 21 July, the second rest day of the 2010 Tour de France. In accordance with the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code applicable to the case, the UCI thus declared the provisional suspension of Alberto Contador from 24 August 2010. If necessary, the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency would have the option to appeal the RFEC’s decision.
January 26, 2011: It was reported that the RFEC had decided to impose a one-year ban on the 2010 Tour de France winner. Contador had 10 days to appeal the decision before the final opinion was to be issued. He consistently denied doping and defended himself by saying the Clenbuterol got into his system after ingesting contaminated beef.
February 15, 2011: The RFEC made a dramatic and surprise reversal to acquit Contador from doping charges. The ruling, although open to appeal by the UCI, allowed Contador to become immediately elligibale to begin racing. He immediately entered the Volta ao Algarve (February 16-20), finishing 4th overall. He followed that with two stages victories at the Vuelta a Murcia (March 4-6) to take the overall title.
March 24, 2011: The UCI today decided – within the time frame stipulated by the Regulations – to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne against the Spanish Cycling Federation’s (RFEC) finding. The decision to appeal comes after an in-depth study of the file received from the RFEC. The CAS's general secretary, Matthieu Reeb, warned of a lengthy procedure ahead. Contador is currently riding in the Volta a Catalunya (March 21-27) where he has the overall lead.
If the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decides in favor of the UCI, and if Contador receives a one year ban, all the victories back to July 21st would be stripped. As it is highly unlikely that the CAS would have a decision before the start of the Giro on May 7th it is conceivable that Contador could start, win, and have his title stripped soon afterward.
What a mess. It will be interesting to see what Angelo Zomegnan, Director of the Giro d'Italia will have to say.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Cycling Museums in Italy
The opening of a new museum, the Museo della Bicicletta di Bra (Cuneo), presents an opportunity to update this list. Please contact me with any additions, or corrections. Photos of visits welcome.
Museo del Ciclismo Madonna del Ghisallo,
Ciclo Museo "Gino Bartali"
Museo del Ciclismo Toni Pessot
Museo dei Campionissimi a Novi Ligure
Museo del Ciclismo Madonna del Ghisallo,Via Gino Bartali, 4
22030 Magreglio (Co)
http://www.museodelghisallo.it/
Extensive museum; see photos from my visit:
Extensive museum; see photos from my visit:
Ciclo Museo "Gino Bartali"Via Chiantigiana, 175,
50126 Ponte a Ema, Firenze
Museo del Ciclismo Toni PessotVia Trieste,
Caneva
Shown: Pink Jersey of Anquetil, WC jersey of Rik van Looy,1960 Museo dei Campionissimi a Novi LigureViale dei Campionissimi,
15067 Novi Ligure (AL)
http://www.museodeicampionissimi.it/home.phpRead about a visit here.
Museo Alfredo Binda
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Museo Storico della Bicicletta, Toni Bevilaqua (Collezione Sanvido)
Museo Alfredo BindaCittiglio (Varese)
Colnago
Viale Brianza, 7/9
20040 Cambiago (MI)
http://www.colnago.com/
Colnago and its museum is not open to the general public, appointment required.
Colnago and its museum is not open to the general public, appointment required.
Museo Storico della Bicicletta, Toni Bevilaqua (Collezione Sanvido)Via Grei 6, Contrada Anquetil
Cesiomaggiore (Belluno)
http://www.museostoricodellabicicletta.it/
Museo de Falegname Tino Sano
Museo Nicolis
Museo de Falegname Tino SanoVia Papa Giovanni XXIII, 6
Almenno San Bartolomeo (Bergamo)
note: Felice Gimondi items
Museo Nicolisvia Postumia
Villafrance di Verona (VR)
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
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.
Museo del Ciclismo 'Alto Livenza'
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).
Museo della Bicicletta di Bra (Cuneo)
Corso Monviso n° 25
Bra (Cuneo)
Museum opened in 2010. To visit contact: Luciano Cravero, tel. 333.6567315
View Italian Cycling Museums in a larger map
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
The Coppi Home at CastellaniaCastellania, Alessandria (Piedmont)
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"
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 PantaniVia 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.
Museo del Ciclismo 'Alto Livenza'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).
Museo della Bicicletta di Bra (Cuneo)
Corso Monviso n° 25
Bra (Cuneo)
Museum opened in 2010. To visit contact: Luciano Cravero, tel. 333.6567315
View Italian Cycling Museums in a larger map
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Gran Fondo New York Adds Medio Fondo
Due to overwhelming requests, Gran Fondo New York will also offer a non-competitive Medio Fondo. The 71 mile/115km course features most of the spectacular features of the gran fondo including the George Washington Bridge, the charming Hudson River towns of Piermont and Nyack, three aid stations, two timed climbs and a stunning finish facing the midtown Manhattan skyline. The elevation gain is 2570ft/783m. Mapmyride information here.
According to Gran Fondo New York there are only a limited amount of Medio Fondo New York entries available.
The gran fondo distance is 107miles/172km and the elevation gain is 5400ft/1650m. Mapmyride information here.
The Gran Fondo New York is one of the events that make up the new UCI World Cycling Tour. Amateur cyclists now have the chance to earn a coveted UCI rainbow jersey.
Discover all the details at www.granfondony.com
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Cristiana Capotondi Presents Giro Jerseys
Italian actress, Cristiana Capotondi, presented the new collection of Giro d'Italia jerseys at Dolce & Gabbana last night in Milan. Capotondi has been selected as the godmother of the Giro d'Italia for this year.
There were five jerseys were presented:
Maglia Rosa (EstaThe sponsor), pink jersey worn by race leader
Maglia Verde (Banca Mediolanum spoinsor), green jersey worn by KOM leader
Maglia Bianca (Ministero dell’Ambiente sponsor), white jersey worn by best young rider
Maglia Rosso (Passione Saint Gobain sponsor), red jersey worn by best sprinter
Maglia Tricolore,a special tricolor jersey for this year that will be given to the team that has shown the greatest fair play
The pink jersey was designed by Jonny Mole and features a tricolor collar and a tricolor stripe on the front with "150".
The start of the 94th edition of the Giro d'Italia will take place in Turin on May 7th with a 22km team time trial. The race, one of the three nationally designated events for the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, will touch 17 Italian regions, more than 60 provinces and 550 municipalities. The final action will take place in Milan, Sunday, May 29, with an individual time trial.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Riding Fi’zi:k’s New R1 Cycling Shoe
Garmin-Cervelo’s David Millar and BMC’s Alessandro Ballan are two of the first exclusively selected pro road cyclists that will be racing in fi’zi:k’s new cycling shoe for the 2011 season. Pro cycling fans may have caught a glimpse of Ballan in the new midnight black R1 –standing out distinctly among his teammates all white shoes - en route to his fourth place finish at Saturday’s Milan San Remo – pro cycling’s first monumental race of the season.
Though the requests from professional cyclists to ride the new shoes have been many, fi’zi:k’s strategy was to select only a few riders with whom they could work closely for feedback and future development. “Alessandro has long been part of the fi’zi:k family,” explained Sports Marketing Manager, Gabriele Benedetti. “He’s here in our backyard, and it’s not uncommon for him to visit the factory or for me to ride with him. This closeness enables us to gather immediate feedback.”
“The first impression I had when I tried the R1 was the super snug fitting; my foot felt surrounded,” said Alessandro Ballan. “But more impressive,” he continued, “is the capacity to transfer the power in a more equalized way with no dispersion. The result was that I am able to push more powerfully on the pedals. The insole has a great support and absorbs the vibration very well.”
That power transfer to the pedals to which Ballan refers is derived from the shoes 3D Flex System outsole. It’s a feature that both the R1 and R3 shoe models share, positioning each of fi’zi:k’s two new shoe models at the higher echelon of a high performance cycling shoe category. The 3D Flex System outsole is defined by a carbon fiber base for power transfer to the pedals; TEPEX® Heel Stiffener for firm heel support to eliminate wasted motion of the foot, and a nylon Mobius Rail for snug heel fitment.
Garmin-Cervelo’s David Millar’s interest peaked when fi’zi:k visited the team’s camp in late December of 2010. Detailed with his equipment and eloquently outspoken, Millar’s early reaction has been invaluable to the fi’zi:k product development team. “David Millar could not be a better representative. We are completely honored to have a rider of his caliber and class racing in our new shoes,” stated Steve Delacruz, Product Manager and Designer for fi’zi:k footwear. Delacruz continued, “He’s accessible, he’s happy to be an exclusive part of the program, and he is incredibly detailed with his feedback - right down to the packaging. We are extremely fortunate.”
“The design of the shoe is quite simply sublime,” Millar documented to fi’zi:k. “Keeping your branding so subtle is a stroke of genius and I think you are a few pedal strokes ahead of the masses; everybody is going back to retro styling, you have captured the zeitgeist.”
The new fi’zi:k R1 and R3 cycling shoes, having just landed at bike shops worldwide, were in development for two years. The man behind the design and development of the fizik shoes, Steve Delacruz, says. ‘The roots of the fi’zi:k collection are the history of quality and craftsmanship of Italian shoemaking. They represent our high standards of attention to detail, materials and technology, but utmost, the shoes represent respect for refined Italian styling. This sets them apart from all other high performance shoes on the market.”
Fi’zi:k’s new R1 and R3 shoe models were introduced at the 2010 Eurobike and Interbike shows to the surprise of the cycling world, as fi’zi:k had kept the new product line under tight wraps. Their foray into shoe manufacturing completes the triangle of contact points on the bike for the 16 year-old brand: gluteus maximus to the saddle; hands to tape ; and feet to shoes.
“It was a natural progression,” explained fi’zi:k Brand Director Nicola Rosin. “Fi’zi:k is no longer just a saddle brand and we’ve moved gradually in this direction. We built our high performance brand name on saddles but slowly entered categories that made logical sense. The I.C.S (Integrated Clip System): pa:k, blin:k light, and Cyrano seat posts are directly related to the saddle; handlebar tape and gel, triathlon arm rest pads, and mountain bike grips correlate to the second contact point of the triangle; and the shoes close the triangle. Our progressive strategy means we expand into categories when we are confident that our final product will lend a performance benefit and make a difference to those that use it – but not before.”
The men’s R1 (msrp $400) and the men’s and women’s R3 ($300) shoes are differentiated from competitors by a few distinct features: the use of Kangaroo leather for its ultra durability and soft touch, weather resistant racing sail cloth for the straps, and a highly customizable insole developed in partnership with SIDAS Technologies (R1 model).
The men’s midnight black R1 (273 grams / size 43) is differentiated by A 100% Kangaroo leather quarter panel, toe and heel panel. Further distinguishing the two models is the R1’s buckle with carbon fiber loading lever and an inclusive custom molded insole using SIDAS technologies Flashfit sytem.
Commented Millar, “The technology of the shoe seems spot on and the manufacturing quality is some of the best I've ever seen in a cycling shoe. The R1 is simply beautiful.” Ballan added further, “The quality of the shoes is incredible, and the attention to detail is maniacal.”
The men’s R3 (258 grams / size 43) and women’s R3 ( 206 grams / size 38.5) use a microtex quarter panel with Kangaroo leather covering the toe and heel panels where the shoe needs additional reinforcement and strength. Both men’s and women’s R3 models feature an aluminum buckle and ergonomic design EVA insole. The men’s R3 is available in Racing Red; and white with black heel and toe. The women’s R3 comes in pure white; and a matte/glossy black with a crème stripe dividing the two materials.
All models are handmade in Italy using a reverse stitching process along the outside of the tongue and collar called Rivalto. It is a traditional and revered Italian sewing technique known as an elegant method to finish the end of materials during stitching.
Fi’zi:k’s R3 cycling shoe models are in shops now.
www.fizik.com
In the USA, fi’zi:k saddles, shoes and cycling accessories are distributed through their US subsidiary, Highway Two, www.highwaytwo.com, 877.395.8088; to find a dealer near you, email info@highwaytwo.com or call 1.877.395.8088.
Photo off Ballan (far right) at Milan-San Remo by Riccardo Scanferla
Related story.
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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,800 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
"The Story of the Giro d'Italia": Preface and Excerpt
Bill & Carol McGann have been kind enough to provide us with the preface and an excerpt from their new paperback book, "The Story of the Giro d'Italia", A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Volume One: 1909 - 1970". The book version is now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (.com); ISBN: 978-0984311767. The Kindle version will be available soon.
Here's the complete preface to The Story of the Giro d'Italia:
While working on our history of the Tour de France, I was struck by dearth of information available in English about the second most important race in the world, the Giro d’Italia. I say second most important, but I hope after reading this history the reader may come to hold the same opinion I have, that today it is the world’s finest race. The Giro ranks above all others not because it has a superior peloton or more fans or a longer history or greater prestige or more prize money. The Tour de France easily wins on all of those counts. But this is about sports, and sports are about competition, and there the Giro wins, hands down.
First of all, the Giro takes place in Italy, blessed as almost no other place on Earth with beautiful cities, rugged mountains and people insanely passionate about sports. Here, bicycle racing matters, and matters a lot. The riders know they are competing under the hot light of fiery love of the sport.
The Giro is raced in the spring, when sudden storms can come out of nowhere. In the mountains, this means abundant sunshine can quickly turn to intolerable cold, fog, rain, snow and ice. Some of the Giro’s greatest dramas took place while Mother Nature raged at the helpless cyclists. Only eight riders finished the 1914 Giro, a testimony to that edition’s difficulty. Other years have seen mass abandonments when the majority of the racers could no longer endure the dantesque conditions the race imposed. These episodes of terrible suffering, from which great champions have forged victories, are far more common in the Giro than in the Tour. Between baking Sicilian heat, near vertical Dolomite ascents, freezing snowstorms and blinding torrents of rain, the Giro has put its riders in extremis more often than the other Grand Tours.
While it wasn’t always true, today the quality of the Giro’s racing is superior. I believe that the Tour de France’s racing is often dull and negative compared to that of the Giro. It may well be that the Tour is so important, the riders race it not to win, but to not lose. With its days of slow, piano racing mostly a thing of the past, the Giro can be a bare-knuckle brawl from start to finish. There has been no race in recent memory to rival the 2009 Giro, with its down-to-the-wire slugfest between winner Denis Menchov and Danilo Di Luca. The last time the Tour had such a fracas was probably the 1989 duel between Laurent Fignon and Greg LeMond.
Today the Giro is measurably harder to race than the Tour. With power meters attached to the riders’ bikes, we know that Giro racers go deeper and expend more energy than those competing in the Tour.
Following the footsteps of predecessor Vincenzo Torriani, current Giro boss Angelo Zomagnan creates race routes that are interesting, challenging to the riders, generally keeping the outcome in suspense until the final couple of days, leaving the sports fan excited and on the edge of his seat for three weeks.
That’s why I love the Giro d’Italia.
The great rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali is well known, mostly because of their adventures in the Tour de France. But for much of bike racing’s history the Alps have been a high wall, and Italian sponsors preferred to keep their racers at home where they could earn valuable publicity. Because of this, there is a whole world of great athletes who are virtually unknown to the non-Italian cycling fan. How about Giovanni Valetti? In 1939 Valetti beat Bartali when Gino was at the very peak of his powers. Has anyone heard of Giuseppe Enrici, the Giro winner who was born in Pittsburgh? Alfonsina Strada was the only woman who entered (and unofficially finished) a Grand Tour. And there was Giordano Cottur, who won a Giro stage in Trieste while guns blazed.
Clearly, this is a story that has to be told.
Here is the excerpt from the 1939 Giro d'Italia, there are a few changes to the text in the book in order to make it understandable in an excerpt.
Because Gino Bartali had missed the 1938 edition where Giovanni Valetti had crushed the competition, what the tifosi wanted was a real head-to-head match-up between Italy’s two finest stage racers on their home soil. Bartali was ready and fit, having won Milan–San Remo from a six-man break that included Aldo Bini and Mario Vicini. Valetti’s impact on the races of the time is much lighter than Bartali’s but we do know from the ferocity of the racing in the 1939 Giro that Valetti came to Milan on April 28 in truly sparkling form.
There was perhaps one other rider entered who was close to the level of Bartali and Valetti that year, Vicini. But the rest, Bergamaschi, Canavesi, Del Cancia, Di Paco and Cino Cinelli (the same Cinelli who went on to bicycle industry fame), to name a few, were merely excellent professional riders. Valetti and Bartali were extraordinary, the likes of whom turn otherwise superb riders into also-rans and mentions in Giro histories.
The nineteen-stage, 3,006-kilometer schedule took the riders no further south than Rome. It was really a Giro d’(Northern) Italia.
1935 winner Vasco Bergamaschi took the first stage win in Turin but the second stage into Genoa had the race’s first real ordering of the General Classification. When Bartali, Cinelli and Vicini finished in Genoa in that order, they were a minute ahead of the next rider, Del Cancia, and a full five and a half minutes ahead of the main peloton containing Valetti.
Gino Bartali was in pink.
The next day Bartali missed the break—part of his pattern of regularly being on the wrong side of peloton fractures—and finished seven minutes behind the ten-man winning group that just happened to contain Valetti. The only Legnano (Bartali’s team) rider in the escape was Secondo Magni. The break contained riders from Frejus, Bianchi, Lygie, Ganna, Gloria, La Voce di Mantova and Il Littoriale. All the major teams except Olympia and the Belgians had at least one of their men in the break. It was a perfect assembly of riders, several of whom were team leaders, to wreak maximum destruction on the hopes of the 25-year-old Bartali.
Cinelli was now the leader with Vicini in second place at the same time. Valetti was eighth, 5 minutes 33 seconds behind and Bartali was ninth, at 7 minutes 2 seconds.
Stage six, a short 85-kilometer half stage before the afternoon’s time trial, had a surprising finish. Carmine Saponetti, an independent rider placed in the “Voce di Mantova” group, won the stage from a three-man break, aided by Bianchi team leader Adolfo Leoni who had let himself come in second.
Why did the Bianchi captain gift the stage win to Saponetti? Saponetti was broke. He started the Giro with 40 lire in his pocket and hoped to earn a little cash as the race progressed. His mother was so concerned that she came to his hotel room in Rome where the fifth stage ended with 100 lire for the impoverished, unsponsored Saponetti. The generous Leoni let the poor farmer’s son pocket some desperately needed money by letting him triumph at the finish in Rieti.
Except for Vicini’s loss of three minutes in stage five, the standings hadn’t changed before the stage seven timed hill-climb to Terminillo. Valetti won it, besting Bartali by 28 seconds and Cinelli by more than 2 minutes.
That gave the following General Classification:
1. Cino Cinelli
2. Secondo Magni @ 1 minute 28 seconds
3. Settimo Simonini @ 3 minutes 27 seconds
4. Giovanni Valetti @ 3 minutes 29 seconds
5. Mario Vicini @ 4 minutes
8. Gino Bartali @ 5 minutes 19 seconds
The race headed north, up the Adriatic coast with a detour deep into Bartali’s Tuscany. Cinelli lost enough time because of a collision with a motorcycle in stage ten to lose the lead. Stage eleven took the riders on a trip over the Apennines with an ascent of the Passo del Muraglione. Bartali was first across the line in Florence with Cinelli second and Valetti still further back, but with the same time. Valetti took over the maglia rosa as the race got a bit tighter.
The General Classification now stood thus:
1. Giovanni Valetti
2. Cino Cinelli @ 11 seconds
3. Mario Vicini @ 31 seconds
4. Adolfo Leoni @ 1 minute 26 seconds
5. Severino Canavesi @ 1 minute 39 seconds
6. Gino Bartali @ 1 minute 50 seconds
The year’s second time trial (counting the Terminillo hill climb) was held in Trieste. Valetti proved he deserved the leadership by beating all in the 42-kilometer test. Vicini lost 1 minute 46 seconds and Bartali gave up over two minutes. Valetti now held a lead over Bartali that was a single second short of four minutes.
Stage sixteen signaled the Giro’s arrival in the Dolomites with a scaling of the Passo della Mauria before the finish down the valley in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Bartali couldn’t drop the Piedmontese rider and once again they finished with the same time.
Stage seventeen was 258 kilometers going from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Trent with the Passo Rolle the principle obstacle. Bartali knew he was running out of race. He was first over the Rolle and, after joining up with Vicini and several other riders, had finally managed to drop the seemingly tireless Valetti. Valetti was put into crisis by Bartali’s attack, relinquishing 7 minutes 48 seconds. Gino Bartali was the new leader with Vicini second at 58 seconds. The race seemed hopelessly lost to Valetti, fourth at 3 minutes 49 seconds with only two stages to go.
The Italian cycling world was insane with excitement over the duel between these two riders with most experts considering the race a done deal at this point. The two-time Giro and 1938 Tour winner was riding in a commanding fashion with a lead that should allow him to arrive in Milan in pink.
But this was a battle between two great champions and neither one was going to give up. The penultimate day was the last one in the high mountains. It was a 166-kilometer race from Trent to Sondrio with the Tonale and Aprica passes providing Valetti a last chance to salvage his Giro. Reports of exactly what happened that day differ widely, but here’s my understanding of the stage.
Valetti attacked early, but Bartali was able to bridge up to him, bringing along Valetti’s teammate Olimpio Bizzi. Valetti then flatted and Bizzi gave Valetti his wheel, but Bartali hadn’t waited around, he was gone.
Bartali was able to get over the Tonale first, a good five minutes ahead of Valetti but it did him no good. Bizzi had rejoined Valetti and the two of them left Bartali behind when he flatted. Valetti made good his escape at Aprica, winning the stage in terrible, freezing weather (the Tonale pass had 20 centimeters of snow). To paraphrase American racer Floyd Landis, Bartali chose a bad day to have a bad day. While Valetti was working with a will to perform a miracle, a desperate Bartali flatted yet again and then crashed. Worse for him, his team car was delayed and slow to get him a new wheel. Valetti came into the finish in Sondrio over five minutes ahead of the first chaser (teammate Bizzi) and almost seven minutes ahead of Bartali and Vicini.
But there’s more to this day than just some hard racing and rotten luck. The Frejus (Valetti’s team) car was ahead of Bartali’s Legnano team service car on the road. To prevent the Legnano car from moving up to help Bartali, the Frejus driver pretended to lose control in the snow, ending up stopped with his car sideways in the middle of the road. The Legnano car was blocked while Bartali was trying to change a sew-up tire in the freezing weather. Valetti then flatted, and when the mechanic arrived, he purposely wrecked Valetti’s wheel so that he could show the judges that the wheel needed a replacement rather than a time consuming tire change.
Valetti was back in pink with Bartali almost three minutes behind in second place.
Bartali escaped on the Ghisallo climb in the final run-in to Milan but Valetti and the rest of the field weren’t letting him get away. The pack pulled him back, but the relentless Bartali still won the final stage. Small consolation for second place overall.
Historian Leo Turrini has written that there might have been something a bit hinky about the 1939 Giro. Valetti was a member of the Young Fascists but Bartali had declined to join them. He was instead, a member of Catholic Action, a lay organization that had an uneasy, competitive relationship with the government. Was there something strange about that day in the snow that cost Bartali so dearly or was it just bad luck meeting an on-form Valetti? Turrini writes that Mussolini’s domestic espionage agency OVRA left a document that leads one to believe there might have been some sort of government involvement in that snowy stage eighteen. Seventy years later, everyone involved is dead. We’ll probably never know.
Now both men had two Giro victories, but Valetti never did anything great in cycling again. One writer called him a bright meteor that blazed briefly across the cycling sky. It’s an admirable legacy, two Giri and a Tour of Switzerland. Valetti tried to come back after the war, but his time had passed.
Final 1939 Giro d’Italia General Classification:
1. Giovanni Valetti (Frejus) 86 hours 2 minutes
2. Gino Bartali (Legnano) @ 2 minutes 59 seconds
3. Mario Vicini (Lygie) @ 5 minutes 7 seconds
4. Severino Canavesi (Gloria) @ 7 minutes 55 seconds
5. Settimo Simonini (Il Littoriale) @ 16 minutes 40 seconds
Climbers’ Competition:
1. Gino Bartali (Legnano)
2. Giovanni Valetti (Frejus)
3. Michele Benente (Olympia)
On June 4, a couple of weeks after the Giro concluded, 20-year-old Fausto Coppi, in the words of Philippe Brunel, “arrived on the scene and scrambled Bartali’s orderly life” by breaking away from the pack in the Tour of Piedmont. He was caught after his chain began slipping and finished third behind the day’s winner, Bartali. That evening Legnano team boss Pavesi signed Coppi to be a gregario for Bartali.
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