Felice Gimondi album
Moderator: robbosmans
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Joel is right, they were not that heavy. Also, Gimondi always used light wheels and good tyres, even for training. But the main thing was that he had great ability. One of the youngest winners of the Tour (22 at his first attempt in 1965). Winner of the Giro 3 times, World Road Champion in one of the best ever races in 1973, plus quite a number of classics. His palmares would have been even better, but along came Merckx and deVlaeminck, so he had a few lean years, but then made a great comeback as Merckx started to falter. Finally, he was the most elegant rider I've ever since on a bike, class personified, hardly ever riding with his hands on the drops. He still looks good now even though he's over 60.
Good pictures.
I have his signature in a Christmas card from Bianchi. If only i had a scanner!
Dan
I have his signature in a Christmas card from Bianchi. If only i had a scanner!
Dan
KB wrote:Joel is right, they were not that heavy. Also, Gimondi always used light wheels and good tyres, even for training. But the main thing was that he had great ability. One of the youngest winners of the Tour (22 at his first attempt in 1965). Winner of the Giro 3 times, World Road Champion in one of the best ever races in 1973, plus quite a number of classics. His palmares would have been even better, but along came Merckx and deVlaeminck, so he had a few lean years, but then made a great comeback as Merckx started to falter. Finally, he was the most elegant rider I've ever since on a bike, class personified, hardly ever riding with his hands on the drops. He still looks good now even though he's over 60.
Yeah, he runs that Gran Fondo race up in Bergamo (or at least it's named after him and he shows) and still promotes/consults Bianchi.
A really super rider, not only all those firsts, but really often in the hunt. Gimondi v. Merckx was like Stenmark v. Tomba in terms of style. I think the only Italian to win Tdf, VaE, GdI, and Worlds. On those "heavy" bikes, these guys were riding that + classics every year, drilled levers, drilled cranks and all....man!
"Gimondi è un eroe umano, che viene sconfitto ma che continua la sua corsa fino a tornare a vincere." - Enrico Ruggeri
Interesting sidebar comment from an interview with the Italian singer/composer Enrico Ruggeri:
This is a good story and I even agree with this last sentence, because my team is Inter Milan , you will understand
Domanda: "L'uomo che vola" è un disco con un filo conduttore piuttosto delineato, quello di uno sguardo critico sulla società che ci circonda. Fa eccezione la canzone "Gimondi e il cannibale", dove descrivi il coraggio e l'eroismo di un campione, capace di restare grande di fronte alla sconfitta. Come è nata l'idea di questo brano?
Ruggeri: La vicenda della rivalità tra Felice Gimondi e Eddy Merckx è a mio avviso una metafora delle grandi battaglie della vita. Gimondi è un eroe umano, che viene sconfitto ma che continua la sua corsa fino a tornare a vincere. Non c'è la fortuna a dargli una mano: deve conquistarsi i suoi traguardi con il sudore. E' questo che mi affascina del ciclismo, il fatto che, sì è vero, puoi magari forare a pochi metri dal traguardo, ma normalmente il fattore fortuna incide in minima parte sul risultato. Il ciclismo è, da questo punto di vista, più onesto del calcio, dove la fortuna spesso decide le sorti di una partita.
Question: "L'uomo che vola" ["The Flying Man"] is a record with a fairly specific theme, that of a critical look at the society which surrounds us. An exception is "Gimondi e il cannibale" ["Gimondi and the cannibal"], where you describe the courage and heroism of a champion, capable of staying great even in the face of defeat. How did the idea for this song come about?
Ruggeri: The story of the rivalry between Felice Gimondi and Eddy Merckx is in my opinion a metaphor for the great battles of life. Gimondi is a human hero, who is defeated but who continues his racing until he comes back to win. It is not fortune that helps him: he has to conquer his objectives with sweat. This is what fascinates me about cycling, the fact that, yes it's true, one can puncture a few meters from the finish line, but normally the factor of luck minimally influences the result. Cycling is, in this regard, more honest than football [soccer], where luck often decides the outcome of a match."
This is a good story and I even agree with this last sentence, because my team is Inter Milan , you will understand
"Gimondi è un eroe umano, che viene sconfitto ma che continua la sua corsa fino a tornare a vincere." - Enrico Ruggeri
Delpi wrote:This is a good story and I even agree with this last sentence, because my team is Inter Milan , you will understand
Internazionale
I have a definition of this team:
"Armata Brancaleone"!!!
Unfortunately, this is true but we tifosi always, always, always and still always say: wait until next year (and I am becoming only older )....
"Gimondi è un eroe umano, che viene sconfitto ma che continua la sua corsa fino a tornare a vincere." - Enrico Ruggeri
Thank you for sharing those pictures with us!
a nice reverence to a man who would rank even higher in cycling's memory, had he not had the misfortune of competing with the greatest of them all.
(On the other hand you are only as good as the opponents you have, of course...)
The second part of the double video issue "The Eddy Merckx Story" contains a lot footage of their great battles. highly recommended!
Martin
a nice reverence to a man who would rank even higher in cycling's memory, had he not had the misfortune of competing with the greatest of them all.
(On the other hand you are only as good as the opponents you have, of course...)
The second part of the double video issue "The Eddy Merckx Story" contains a lot footage of their great battles. highly recommended!
Martin
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A good link, in Italian:
http://www.pagine70.com/vmnews/wmview.php?ArtID=302
in 1969, when Gimondi won the Giro, Merckx had been disqualified for failing a doping test: Gimondi refused to wear the pink jersey at the ceremony, saying the victory was hollow because it was influenced by the misfortune of his rival. Wow
http://www.pagine70.com/vmnews/wmview.php?ArtID=302
in 1969, when Gimondi won the Giro, Merckx had been disqualified for failing a doping test: Gimondi refused to wear the pink jersey at the ceremony, saying the victory was hollow because it was influenced by the misfortune of his rival. Wow
"Gimondi è un eroe umano, che viene sconfitto ma che continua la sua corsa fino a tornare a vincere." - Enrico Ruggeri