Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Two of Marco Pantani's Bikes Auctioned

The auction
One hundred Pantani fans attended an auction in Ravenna on November 17th for the sale of two bikes that belonged to Marco Pantani.


Before the auction

The Bianchi (serial number  H 314-74) was used by Pantani in the famous July 27 Grenoble—Le Duex Alpes stage of the Tour de France which allowed Pantani to wear the yellow and go on to win that year's Tour. The bike sold for 13,000 (thirteen thousand) euro.

The second bike, a Wilier Triestina (serial number 962475), was used by Pantani in the 1997 Tour de France and which he used to win the July 19 Saint Etienne-l’Alpe d’Huez stage.This bike sold for 8,000 (eight thousand) euro.


The two bikes were sold due to the bankruptcy of the company that owns the Nautilus restaurant of Cervia. The bikes were given by Marco Pantani to the owner Franco Corsini. Pantani often went to eat there and was friends with Corsini. "It was 2003 and I was hunting with Pantani and another friend in Predappio," explained Corsini. "At the end of the hunt, before returning home, Marco took me aside and told me go and look in the trunk of my car, that there was something for me. It was his legendary Bianchi."

Pantani's parents have disputed that this is the Bianchi that Pantani used but the Italian collectors  believe that there is no doubt that the Bianchi bike just auctioned is the actual bike.

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4 comments:

  1. Sadly, no peace even with Marco no longer on the scene as people wrangle over material things. RIP Pirata!

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  2. Selling the bikes due to bankruptcy of a restaurant. A sign of the times in Italy and Europe.

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  3. Any information on the buyers? Had I known, I'd have been there bidding too.

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  4. Matt: No info on the buyer(s). The first I had of the auction was only a couple of days before.

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