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Giro d’Italia 1940

Fausto Coppi with a bunch of other cyclists during Guro d'Italia in 1940

29 May 1940 Fausto Coppi’s first Giro d’Italia stage victory

Gito d’Italia1940 started in the shadow of World War II. Even later winner of the race, Fausto Coppi was already called in the Italian army. But of course, on the 17th of May, at the beginning of the 28th Giro d’Italia nobody suspected that the 20 years old gregario of Gino Bartali would make road cycling history a few weeks later. It started with the bad luck of Bartali, who crashed during the second stage, while Coppi was able to ride with the leading group and finished second. Soon the hierarchy within the Legnano team changed. It was all about riding for Coppi’s success. Coppi was among the top riders in the general classification since… Read More »29 May 1940 Fausto Coppi’s first Giro d’Italia stage victory

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.