Today’s historic photo of the day: Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali smoking cigars in “Totò al Giro d’Italia” (Totò in Giro d’Italia), a 1948 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Totò.
Category: Giro d’Italia
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.
Today’s “historic photo of the day” is: Franco Chioccioli climbing Passo di Gavia, during stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia 1988.
Before the 14th stage of 1988 Giro d’Italia, Del Tongo team’s Italian rider Franco Chioccioli was wearing the maglia rosa. He was leading the race 33 seconds ahead of Urs Zimmermann. The top ten of the general classification was:
Today’s historic photo of the day: Roy Schuiten of Scic-Bottecchia team is time trialing at 14th stage of the 1978 Giro d’Italia in Venezia (Venice), near “Canal Grande” – The Grand Canal. May 21, 1978.
The Venice Time-Trial of stage 14 required the construction of a floating bridge over the Grand Canal so that the riders could cross the “Canal Grande” and finish in San Marco Square. The length of the course was 12 km (7 mi).
Categories
A Tribute to Vincenzo Torriani
Vincenzo Torriani (Novate Milanese, 17 September 1918 – Milano, 24 April 1996) was best known as one of the original “Giro Bosses” or organizers of the Giro d’Italia. He held the role for 46 years, from 1946 to 1992. This video clip is from the documentary named “The Greatest Show on Earth“. Soundtrack: “Di quella pira” – a popular tenor aria (or more specifically cabaletta) sung by Manrico in Act 3, Scene 2 of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, “Il Trovatore“. Tenor: Franco Corelli.
Stage 20 of Giro d’Italia 2014 finished atop Monte Zoncolan. It is widely regarded as one of the most difficult climbs in Europe: the Zoncolan has been compared with Vuelta a España’s El Angliru, in the Spanish region of Asturias. The steepest, 23.6% pitch of the Angliru is very short however, being part of a kilometer stretch that averages “only” 17.2 percent – while the Zoncolan has a kilometer of nearly 20%.
The “thing” is situated in Friuli Venezia Giulia and belongs to the Alps. Starting from Ovaro, the Monte Zoncolan ascent is 10.5 km long. Over this distance, you climb 1210 vertical meters. The average percentage thus is 11.5%.
If you watch Jørgen Leth’s great documentary about the 1973 Giro d’Italia, “Stars and Water Carriers” (Stjernerne
On one of the early climbs of the day, Eddy Merckx escaped bringing Spanish climber José Manuel Fuente (KAS) and the young Italian Giovanni Battaglin (Jollj Ceramica) along for company. Foolishly, Fuente took his pulls with the powerful Belgian and after having burned his matches, was spit out the back.
The final stage of this year’s Italian Grand Tour, Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 21 is a 172 km flat stage from Gemona Del Friuli to Trieste.
And Monte Zoncolan is back! Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 20 is a 167 km high mountain stage from Maniago to Monte Zoncolan.
Giro d’Italia 2014 stage 19 is a 26.85 km uphill individual time trial up to Cima Grappa.