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Gino Bartali

Legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx spent the most day wearing pink jersey (maglia rosa) during Giro d'Italia

Most days in pink jersey

The pink jersey (maglia rosa) was introduced to the Giro d’Italia during the race in 1931.Learco Guerra (The Human Locomotive”) was the first rider to wear it.The top 11 riders  with  most days in pink jersey :Eddy Merckx 78 (1968,1969,1970,1972,1973,1974)Alfredo Binda 65 (1925,1927,1928,1929,1931,1933)Francesco Moser 50 (1976,1977,1979,1980,1981,1982,1984,1985)Giuseppe Saronni 48 (1979,1981,1983,1985,1986)Gino Bartali 42 (1936,1937,1939,1946,1947)Jacques Anquetil 42 (1959,1960,1961,1964,1967)Fausto Coppi 31 (1940,1947,1949,1952,1953,1954)Bernard Hinault 31 (1980,1982,1985)Miguel Indurain 29 (1992,1993)Costante Girardengo 26 (1919,1921,1923,1925,1926)Roberto Visentini 26 (1980,1981,1985,1986,1987)

Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi on the Passo Pordoi at the Giro d'Italia 1940

Bartali and Coppi together in the Dolomites (Giro d’Italia 1940)

Vitange cycling  image of the day on PelotonTales: Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi in the Dolomites at Giro d’Italia 1940. Before Giro d’Italia 1940, Gino Bartali was already two-time Giro d’Italia (1936, 1937) and one-time Tour de France (1938) winner. He was the leader of the Legnano team in 1940, but had an ambicious and very talented young teammate, the 20 years old Fausto Coppi, who took the first place in the general classification in the 11th stage.

Tour de France 1949

The 36th Tour de France was held between 20 June and 24 July 1949.  The route was divided into 21 stages and included 4808 km. This was the first time the race visited Spain (9th stage). They also took a trip to Belgium and Italy. The Tour de France in 1949 was one of the peaks of the great rivalry between the two Italian superlegends Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi. Bartali won the Tour already twice (1938 and 1948). Coppi never rode the race before, but he triumphed at the Giro d’Italia that year (it was his third victory after 1940 and 1947) and wanted to win the Giro-Tour double which never happened in the… Read More »Tour de France 1949

Cycling Who’s Who: Jacques Marinelli

Jacques Marinelli was born on the 15th December of 1925 in Blanc-Mesnil, France.  He was a professional rider between 1948 and 1955. He rode the Tour de France six times between 1948 and 1954, his most successful year was 1949 when he was wearing the yellow jersey for six days. That Tour de France was one of the peaks of the rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Marinelli was already leading the general classification when he and Coppi escaped on the 5th staged and crashed. Marinelli could continue the race immediately, but Coppi needed a bike change. The Campionissimo refused to ride any of the spare bikes of the Italian team, he wanted to… Read More »Cycling Who’s Who: Jacques Marinelli