Every generation has its “eternal second” rider. During the post WW1 period in Italy, this was Gaetano Belloni.
Belloni was born on the 26th of August in 1892 in Pizzighettone, Italy. Before turning professional, he won several races as amateur, including the Italian Championship.
There were significantly more races held during the first World War than during the second one, and Belloni participated in many of them. He was avoided to be called to the front after he lost his thumb and forefinger of his right hand when he was working in textile manufacture before becoming a cyclists. He won the two Italian monuments multiple times (Milano-Sanremo 1917 and 1920, Giro di Lombardia 1915, 1918 and 1928)
His professional career collided with the shining years of two Campionissimos, Costante Girardengo and Alfredo Binda. Belloni earned the nickname “Etorno Secondo” (eternal second) quite quickly, although he finished Giro d’Italia with a 2nd place only twice (1919 and 1921), and only one of them (1919) was a lost battle against his good friend, Girardengo. Nevertheless, Belloni won the Giro d’Italia in 1920 and had a total of 12 stage victories during his career.
Gaetano Belloni retired in 1932. He passed away on the 9th of January in 1980.
His professional teams:
1916–1922 Bianchi
1923–1924 Legnano
1925 Wolsit
1926–1927 Opel
1928 Wolsit
1929–1931 Bianchi
1932 Olympia