Eternal Fausto Coppi Centenary Calendar
SUMMARY
Eternal Fausto Coppi Centenary Calendar
Earlier in 2019 I was in Italy during the Giro D'Italia in May. I went
to see the stage from Ivrea to Como that went over the climb to the
Madonna del Ghisallo, the patron Saint of Cyclists. That location,
overlooking the junction of lake Como and lake Lecco, is also the
site of the Museum of Cycling that contains one of the most complete
collections of cycling memorabilia from all the history of the sport.
Since 2019 is the centenary of Fausto Coppi's birth, they had a
calendar with several archive photos taken during his lifetime.
Below are the photos that were included in the calendar with
some translations of the comments with each photo.
Fausto Coppi was born in Castellania, Italy on 15 Sep 1919 and died
at the age of 40 in Tortona, Italy in 1960 from complications from
malaria caught during a visit and ride he did in Africa (Burkina Faso).
He was 5' 9.5" high and weighed 150 lbs. He was nicknamed the
Campionissimo and "il Airone", the Heron, for his form on the bike
when on breakaways that looked like a majestic bird moving effortlessly
along. During his prime from 1946 to 1954, when Coppi broke away in
a race, he was never caught by anyone.
The cover of the Calendar: Eternal Fausto : 100 years with the
Campionissimo. Note the equipment- one waterbottle on the handlebars
and one on the downtube, the helper with the wheel, the
pave', the old woman sitting on the bench in the background.
The two Super Champions of Italian Cycling at that time.
Coppi and Girardengo.
Coppi with his first Wife, Bruna, during the Giro in 1950.
Note the bike: small fender on the front wheel, the external
brake cable taped to the top tube, the hand pump on the down
tube, the water bottle in front of the handlebars. Also, the
small lever for the rear shifter you can see on the other side
of the rear wheel.
Coppi in a breakaway, adored by his fans. Note the sunglasses.
Coppi with his daughter, Marina, from his first wife.
note the stacks of Bianchi jerseys.
Bartali and Coppi when they were teammates, probably during
the Giro in 1940 that was won by the rookie Coppi.
Afterwards, they were always adversaries.
Fausto with Giulia, his second wife, and his Son, Faustino.
In Paris for the Tour de France, where the adversary Bartali is
clearly antagonistic. It seems like they are putting on sun lotion.
During the Tour de France a fan gives Coppi a refreshing splash
of water. The French always idolized Coppi.
Coppi crossing the finish line in the Milan - San Remo in 1946.
His breakaway began at the Turchino pass that went over
the Ligurian Alps and descended to the seashore. He was away
for almost 100KM.
Serse Coppi and Fausto Coppi after the end of the 1949 Paris-Roubaix
that was won by Serse, Coppi's younger brother (virtual tie with
another rider). Note the bike goggles, the spare tires on the shoulders.
Serse died in 1951 after crashing during the Tour of Piedmont and
hitting his head on a curb. He suffered a massive head hemorrhage
after finishing the race.
Coppi with Biagio Cavanna, a blind man who was his personal
masseuse from the very beginning.
Coppi on a relaxed training ride with team riders and friends.
The photo of Coppi in the breakaway in the mountains.
Note that at that at time all the mountain roads were not
paved but were packed gravel. From the man in the background
I think this was in France on the Izoard Pass.
The single page 2020 Calendar.
One of the many monuments to Coppi. This one on the Pordoi Pass
in the Dolomites.
Updated Dynamic 2020 /
Copyright © 2020, Max Prola