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History and Legends

Giovanni Pinarello passes away

Today, Giovanni Pinarello, the founder of the Pinarello bicycles has died at 92. The death of the Italian framebuilder has been announced on the Italian bike manufacturer’s Facebook page.

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History and Legends Giro d'Italia Races

Giro d’Italia History rated by a panel of 100 journalists

Giro d’Italia History rated by a panel of 100 journalists: RCS Sport, the organizer of Giro d’Italia, has put together 100 journalists to rate the greatest moments of the Italian Grand Tour’s long history. “To exorcise the World’s end, as predicted by the Mayan Prophecy”, journalists were questioned over the most memorable moments in the race’s history.

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History and Legends Giro d'Italia Tour de France

Hugo Koblet: Pédaleur de charme

Pédaleur de charme, meaning “Pedaler of Charm“, was Hugo Koblet‘s nickname (He won Tour de France in 1951 and Giro d’Italia in 1950). He also won the Mountain Classification of Giro d’Italia in 1950.

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History and Legends Tour de France

The Yellow Rosebud: Orson Welles and the 1950 Tour de France

Orson Welles, the famous American director was the official starter of the Tour de France in 1950. The best-known film directed by him is Citizen Kane.

The film was nominated for Academy Awards in nine categories; it won an Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) by Herman Mankiewicz and Welles. Citizen Kane was voted the greatest film of all time in five consecutive Sight & Sound’s polls of critics until it was displaced by Vertigo in the 2012 poll.

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History and Legends

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali as football players

Two great cycling rivals, Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali were protagonists of an exceptional derby (a football match between local rivals. i.e. teams that are from the same city or the same part of the country) which took place on 14 January 1950 at the Milan Arena. Football (calcio) was the second popular sport after cycling, in post-war Italy.

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History and Legends

Fiorenzo Magni dies aged 91

Italian cycling legend, “Lion of Flanders” Fiorenzo Magni dies aged 91 today. Also known as the “third man” in Italy during the era of rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, reportedly passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Monza, to the north of Milan.

Born near Prato in 1920, Magni won the Giro d’Italia three times: in 1948, 1951 and 1955. The third of those victories was taken at the age of 34, making him the oldest winner of the race to this day.