Between 1946 and 1951, the Giro d’Italia had a special jersey, “maglia nera” (English: black jersey), for the last-placed rider. There was a real competition between many riders, to win this highly-coveted jersey. The last-placed rider would ride the final victory lap with the race winner each year around the historic Vigorelli Velodrome in Milan.
Category Archives: Races
A Mountain Pass during the 1925 Tour de France
Today’s historic photo of the day: a mountain pass during the 1925 Tour de France. Frenchman Roger Lacolle (Météore) is leading the group (in the left, walking). The rider going the opposite way is a native, not a competitor.
Jean Alavoine atop Col d’Aspin
Today’s historic photo of the day: on Wednesday, July 5, Frenchman Jean Alavoine (Peugeot-Wolber) crosses over the Col d’Aspin during the Tour de France 1922, stage 6. It was a monster 326-kilometer stage from Bayonne to Luchon, which contains three major climbs: Col d’Aubisque, Col d’Aspin, and Col de Peyresourde. Alavoine won the stage in […]
UK’s pothole problem: a danger to cyclists
Many of the cyclists who have ridden on Britain’s roads will know that even at the best of times, it can be a bumpy ride due to potholes. They are caused by changes in temperature and water in cracks of the road surface meaning that potholes are a problem that unfortunately cannot be prevented. They […]
Le Ride – Retracing the 1928 Tour de France
“Le Ride” is a cycling documentary, which follows two cyclists, Phil Keoghan (also the director of the film) and his friend Ben Cornell as they attempt to recreate the original route of the 1928 Tour de France. Averaging 240 km a day for 26 days, Phil and Ben traverse both the unforgiving mountains of the […]
Bola del Mundo
Bola del Mundo, also known as Alto de las Guarramillas is a mountain of the Guadarrama mountain range located in the Community of Madrid in Spain, near the border with the province of Segovia. Its height is 2,257 meters (some sources give it 2.265 meters). It is one of the hardest climbs ever seen in […]
Bianchi Specialissima (Marco Pantani Edition)
Bianchi released Marco Pantani edition “Specialissima”, a special bike to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Marco Pantani’s Giro-Tour double. The bike has the iconic celeste-yellow fade paint job, the same color schema of Marco Pantani’s 1998 Bianchi. In 1998, after winning the Giro d’Italia, Pantani rode the yellow and celeste Bianchi Mega Pro XL (serial number H […]
Winning the race by going slower
Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia 2017 was won by Pierre Rolland, the French rider of Cannondale–Drapac. Rolland and his team were really needed this victory: Rolland’s last Grand Tour stage win was back in 2012 (Stage 11 of the Tour de France), and the American Squad didn’t win a single World Tour race for […]
Greg Van Avermaet wins Paris-Roubaix with a record average speed
Greg Van Avermaet, BMC Racing Team’s Belgian rider won 115th edition of the Paris–Roubaix with a record average speed of 45.129 kph (28.042 mph). Avermaet broke Peter Post’s record of 45.204 kph (28.088 mph) which set in 1964.
Koblet-Coppi battle, Giro d’Italia 1953
Hugo Koblet, “Pédaleur de charme“, and Fausto Coppi, “Il Campionissimo”, two post-war era giants. They were good friends, until the Giro d’Italia 1953 edition. After that Giro, they would never speak to each other again. But, what happened?
