We lost Alfredo Martini, a pro cyclist from Fausto Coppi‘s era, yesterday (August 25, 2014).

Martini was born on 18 February 1921 in Florence, Tuscany. He was a professional between 1941 and 1957. He won the Tour of the Apennines in 1947, the Giro del Piemonte in 1950, and a stage in the 1950 Giro d’Italia (stage 2, a 245 km -152 mi- running from Salsomaggiore Terme to Martini’s home town, Florence). He finished 1950 Giro in third place, after the winner Hugo Koblet and the second finisher Gino Bartali. He also wore the race leader’s pink jersey “maglia rosa” during stage 8.

Alfredo Martini
Alfredo Martini (1921-2014)

After his retirement, he managed cycling teams Ferretti (1969-1972) and Sammontana (1973-1974). In 1971, the Ferretti team won the Giro d’Italia general classification with the Swede Gösta Pettersson.

Then he became the coach of the Italian national cycling team for a long period, between 1975 and 1997. Under his management, the Italian national cycling team won the rainbow jersey with Francesco Moser in 1977 in San Cristóbal (Venezuela), Giuseppe Saronni in 1982 at Goodwood (Great Britain), Moreno Argentin in 1986 in Colorado Springs (United States), Maurizio Fondriest in 1988 in Ronse (Belgium), Gianni Bugno in 1991 in Stuttgart (Germany) and in 1992 in Benidorm (Spain); plus another seven silvers and seven bronzes.

Since 1998 he was the supervisor of all the national teams of cycling and Honorary President of the Italian Cycling Federation.

Since March 2013 he was the Honorary President of the “Association Fausto and Serse Coppi” in Castellania.

In 2007, with the help of sports journalist Francesco Caremani, Martini told his exceptional career as an athlete and coach in a book named “Ciclismo, brava gente. Un secolo di pedali e passioni raccontato in presa diretta” (Cycling, good people. A century of pedals and passions told in live)”.

In 2008, he released another important book, “Alfredo Martini, memorie di un grande saggio del ciclismo” (Alfredo Martini, memories of a great sage of cycling) by Franco Calamai, which traces the life, memories, and anecdotes of a life spent in the world of pedals.

His last work was: “La vita è una ruota” (Life is a wheel), written with Mark Pastonesi Edilciclo.

He passed away on August 25th 2014 in Sesto Fiorentino, at the age of 93 years.

Alfredo Martini in 1950
Alfredo Martini in 1950. Photo: streamingmoviesright.com
M. Özgür Nevres

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