Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle

The new book titled "Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle" is now available in English in bookstores. The publisher is Rizzoli, ISBN: 978-0-8478-3867-7.

A beautifully illustrated survey of more than sixty-five years of work by one of the most pioneering and influential names in bicycle design. Since Cino Cinelli began making frames in Italy in the 1940s, Cinelli has set the standards for bicycle and component design. Cinelli has led the evolution of professional cycling and defined the ideal of the classic bicycle: from the classic Supercorsa racing frame to the cutting-edge MASH fixed-gear pursuit bikes ubiquitous on the urban riding scene; from innovations such as the first plastic racing saddles to the controversial Spinaci handlebars, banned from competition; and from timeless components, such as the Alter stem, to iconic meetings of art and design such as Keith Haring’s treatment of the hour record-setting Laser.

With contributions by legendary riders such as Felice Gimondi and Gilberto Simoni, and by collaborators, from artists like Mike Giant to designers such as San Francisco’s graphic impresario Benny Gold, and featuring a conversation between fashion designer Sir Paul Smith and Cinelli president Antonio Colombo, Cinelli is the definitive look at how beauty and technology can meet in this simplest form of design.

About the Author
Lodovico Pignatti Morano is a writer and consultant based in Milan. Antonio Colombo has been the President and owner of Cinelli and Columbus since 1973, and is the director of a contemporary art gallery in Milan. Felice Gimondi is one of only five cyclists in history to win all three Grand Tours: the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and the Vuelta a España. Benny Gold is a graphic designer and artist living in San Francisco. Barry McGee is a painter and graffiti artist from the Bay Area whose work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide. Sir Paul Smith is an icon of international style and fashion, and a passionate cycling enthusiast.



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Largest Collection of Maglie Rosa Inaugurated

On Saturday, October 27th, at the Museo del Ciclismo, Madonna del Ghisallo, the largest collection of Maglie Rosa (pink jerseys) was inaugurated. A two year effort on the part of the Giro d'Italia and RCS Sport has resulted in reaching fifty pink jerseys from different years now collected and on display at the museum. The goal is to collect one jersey for each of the seventy seven editions to date (Learco Guerra was the first to wear the pink jersey of the Giro d'Italia when it was introduced in 1931).

Some of the donors:

The Museo del Ciclismo, Madonna del Ghisallo, is a fantastic museum that every cyclist visiting Italy should visit.  The famous chapel of "Madonna del Ghisallo" is next door, and of course, a must visit as well.

Website for museum: www.museodelghisallo.it

A new book was also announced, “Magni, il terzo uomo” by Auro Bulbarelli; more details in a subsequent blog post.

Related stories:
Ghisallo Pilgrimage
Goal: The Chapel of the Madonna del Ghisallo 

I have a list of Cycling Museums in Italy here; any additions are welcome.

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Campagnolo Preparing 80th Anniversary Gruppo, 1933-2013

Remember the now famous 50th anniversary Campagnolo gruppo (pictured above; more photos here)? To celebrate it's 80th anniversary next year, Campagnolo was founded in 1933, the company will be issuing an 80th anniversay gruppo. Details are scant but the early word is that it will be available in the Super Record level, mechanical version.  There will be 2,013 gruppi availabe plus 2,013 pairs of anniversary wheels.


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The Manifesto to Exit from the Nightmare of Doping

Five newspapers, including the Gazzetta dello Sport, published a manifesto today in their editions for "credible cycling". The other newspapers are L’Equipe, The Times, Het Nieuwsblad and Le Soir. More than 400 riders have been disqualified or involved in doping investigations since the 1990s.

The manifesto:

We are a group of newspapers in five newspapers from four different countries (Belgium, Great Britain, Italy and France). We’ve been part of the history of cycling for over a hundred years. We passionately love this sport and strongly believe in its future.

However we are very concerned about the current situation. The long list of doping scandals that have clouded the horizon of cycling in recent years now includes the Armstrong case, the confessions of several of his former teammates, the report of the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA): that as points its finger at the malfunction or even complicity of the International Cycling Union (UCI).There are also disturbing reports filtering from the Padua investigation and the Operacion Puerto trial begins in Madrid in January.

This recent revelations show clearly that there was sick ‘cycling system’ and we can no longer put our faith in the UCI or the team managers who were complicit in the cheating. However responsibility lies with everyone in the cycling family: governing bodies, management, sponsor, organisers and athletes.

It seems that things have improved recently. We believe in the new generation of riders but we believe it is impossible to continue with the same structure, the same rules and the same people.

That's why we ask for/recommend that the governing bodies, sponsors, teams, organisers and athletes:

- That the UCI recognizes its responsibilities in the Armstrong case.

- The creation, under the responsibility of the Agency (WADA), of a neutral and independent commission to investigate the role and responsibility of the UCI in the Armstrong case and the fight against doping in general; to report errors, abuses and possible complicity.

- That the organization of controls at the biggest races is directly by WADA and the national anti-doping agencies.

- That the suspensions for serious doping cases are more severe and that teams pledge to terminate contracts and not sign for a further two years any athletes suspended for more than six months.

- The restoration of the ‘gentlemen's agreement’ that allowed the temporary suspension of riders involved in a doping investigation.

- A stronger involvement and accountability of the title sponsors of teams.

- The reform of the WorldTour, its points system and licensing, which remains closed and opaque. We propose that the licences are no longer awarded to the managers but to the sponsors.

- The organisation of a major ‘cycling summit’ before the start of the 2013 season in order to define the new organization and new rules.

We sincerely hope that the cycling world will seize the opportunity to make fundamental reform.



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Sarto Cycles "Boutique" Opens

Sarto Cycles, the handmade in the Veneto framebuilder, has opened a new section on their website named the Sarto Boutique. Here you will find unique builds that they offer for sale. The first, seen in the photographs above (click to enlarge), is a Kilogrammo frameset with custom paint, equipped with Campagnolo Record EPS, Fast Forward deep profile carbon clinchers, and other goodies. For more and better photos, and details, visit Sarto Boutique.

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Reactions to 2013 Tour de France Route

Bradley Wiggins, 2012 Tour de France winner:
"My priority is the Giro d'Italia. It's become apparent that it's very difficult to compete in two grand tours and so it's very likely I'll be there [in the Tour] in a helping capacity, supporting Chris Froome." Note: Should Wiggins win the Giro d'Italia it would be a first for Great Britain. The inclusion in the Giro next year of a 53km individual time trial, unusually long for the race and Wiggins' strongest suit, makes it even more attractive for him.

Alberto Contador, winner of 2007 and 2009 Tour de France:
"It’s a well balanced route, but it’s going to be wide open right to the end, and the final stages will be really spectacular. It’s going to be great for the fans because the end of the Tour will be at altitude. We’ll have to see, but I think it’s going to be very uncertain. It’s Froome I fear the most, he’s very dangerous in the mountains and he was the strongest climber this year."

Giuseppe Martinelli, Mangager, Astana:
"The hundredth edition of the Tour de France is more difficult than the 2012 edition but still much less than so many other editions in which I participated. I think it is a tour within the reach of many, one that offers something for everyone, including us. There are opportunities for the sprinters, the climbers, in the team time trial which is always spectacular, and some stages are suited to a long breakaway. The race design does not benefit the chronoman as it did last year, nor does it favor climbers.The start in Corsica makes everything harder. It's not a classic first week of flat stages, in the second and third stages the riders will face some pretty good climbs. Whoever is racing for GC will have to arrive 100% ready in Porto Vecchio. The three Alpine stages will be very difficult, it starts with a double-Alpe d'Huez climb and followed by stages with finishes of Le Grand-Bornand and Semnoz. I do not see the Mont Ventoux stage being particularly decisive but it will be certainly beautiful."

Domenico Pozzovivo, riding for Ag2r La Mondiale next year:
"Apart from the first stage, which is not particularly difficult, the other two in Corsica are particularly challenging and this for the Tour can be an advantage because maybe there will be fewer crashes and less nervousness. I think the time trial will be less decisive for the overall ranking compared to other years, at least on paper, because the team time trial is only 25 km and the other two are not 50-55 km. In in my opinion will be the most decisive stages will be the mountaintop finishes, especially those of Mont Ventoux and the Alpe d'Huez."

Joaquin "Purito" Rodriguez, number one in the World Tour classifications, 1st 2012 Il Lombardia, 2nd 2012 Giro d'Italia:
"Now I know the parcours of the Giro and the Tour. Once I see the Vuelta's I will decide which two grand tours I will participate in."

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2013 Tour de France, 100th Anniversary Edition

The route of the 100th Tour de France was unveiled this morning at the Paris Convention Centre in front of an audience of 4,000 people.

Key points:
100th edition of the Tour de France, Saturday, June 29th to Sunday, July 21th 2013

21 stages covering 3,479 kilometres (before final ratification). The first three stages, taking place in Corsica, will be road stages with the first time trial, a TTT, scheduled for stage 4.
7 flat stages
5 hilly stages
6 mountain stages with 4 summit finishes
2 individual time trial stages
1 team time trial stage
2 rest days

10 new stage towns: Porto-Vecchio, Bastia, Ajaccio, Calvi (Corsica will welcome the Tour for the first time), Cagnes-sur-Mer, Saint-Gildas-des-Bois, Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule, Givors, Chorges, and Annecy-Semnoz.

For the first time in 10 years the Tour will not leave France's borders.

Mont Ventoux will be re-visited for the first time since 2009 on stage 15, with Mont Ventoux coming at the end of the longest stage of the edition at 242 km. There will be a double (!!) ascent of Alpe d'Huez on stage 18.

A shame that the presentation of the 100th edition of this great race comes during this period of turmoil in cycling due to the recent revelations of Lance Armstrong's, et.al., doping and his being stripped of seven Tour de France titles. Sadly, it's hard to get excited....

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome.

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