Saturday, April 20, 2024

Tag: Great Italian Riders

Mario Chiesa – Top Road Star of the 90’s

As a ‘road captain’ in the 80's and 90's Mario Chiesa helped guide riders like Marco Pantani, Urs Zimmermann and Claudio Chiappucci to some big victories. More recently he’s been behind the steering wheel of nine top teams. Thanks to Lucio Belli, we caught up with Mario to get his story. 

Vittorio Adorni

Vittorio Adorni was one of the classiest riders to sit on a bike, at a time when there were many top riders; Jacques Anquetil, Jan Janssen, Felice Gimondi and sometime teammate, Eddy Merckx. Vittorio Adorni died on 24th December at the age of 85.

Ercole Baldini

Despite an Olympic Road Race, two World Hour Records, a World Amateur Pursuit Championship, two World Professional Pursuit Championship medals, a World Professional Road Race Championship, a Giro d'Italia, a GP des Nations and four Trofeo Baracchi many believe that the best of Ercole Baldini – who died on December 1st at the age of 89 – was never seen.

Davide Rebellin

A year or two ago, I had to pleasure to interview Davide Rebellin, in light of the recent tragedy which saw the 51 years-old Italian lose his life after he was struck by a truck, whilst out on a ride we thought we re-run the piece as a tribute to a man who lived and breathed bike racing. 

Vittoria Bussi – on Breaking the World Hour Record in 2018

We thought it would good to talk with the previous ‘Woman of the Hour,’ Ms. Bussi about her record of 48.007 kilometres set on September 13th 2018 at high altitude on the boards of the Aguascalientes velodrome in Mexico.

Felice Gimondi

Felice Gimondi, Grand Tour conqueror, Classics winner, ‘chronoman’ of quality, stylist, gentleman and all-time great, rest in peace sir.

Davide Rebellin – “It is a wonderful opportunity and a privilege to be a professional cyclist”

A few weeks ago I posted on social media a picture of Davide Rebellin in his new Sovac-Natura4ever team strip for 2018; his 27th season as a professional. I commented that he was a ‘remarkable man.’ Immediately I was informed that I was, ‘glorifying a doper.’ When I responded by asking how he was any different to the pundits, TV commentators, self-styled fashion gurus and authors who have all fallen foul of the testers but are now accepted by the cycling community - no one could tell me. Former ‘cross star Barry Davies suggested that I organise an interview with the Italian; ‘good idea,’ I thought to myself.

At Random

Ian Field Blog: Tough Times Make the Good Times Even Better

Whenever there is a long gap between me writing blogs it usually means I have been really busy training and racing hard. This time is no different! I ended the last blog on the disappointment of the Koppenberg Cross and as I mentioned next up would be the Superprestige at Hamme. I got a really good weeks training in between the two races and morale was high as my girlfriend was able to come and visit for just over a week.

Andy Fenn – Winner of the Gullegem Koerse 2013

One of the biggest professional kermises in Flanders is the Gullegem Koerse, first held in 1942 when Belgian legend Marcel Kindt claimed victory. Since then it’s been won by many of the hardest kermis riders in the game – Willy Tierlinck, Wilfried Nelissen, Nico Eeckhout, Gert Omloop to name a few. Not to mention some of the best roadmen of their eras; including Nico Mattan, Peter Van Petegem and Philippe Gilbert. And for this year’s edition we can boast of a Scottish winner in Andy Fenn – well, his mum is Scottish and he rode the Commonwealth Games for us in Delhi.

Grenoble Six Days 2011 – Third Night

Grenoble Six Days 2011... One day, I'd like to come here and sit at one of the big tables with friends and family, watch the cabaret, and the racing, chat, eat and drink too much. It's good value at 63 euros per head: that gets you in, allows you to attack the beautiful buffet and provides you a bottle of wine, mineral water and a coffee as you watch the racing and the cabaret - one day...

Peter Hawkins – “if you do the work you do see the fruits of your labours”

Our pal Viktor has been hard at work; it's not everyone who could do his job, those long hours huddled over a computer screen, day in, day out - checking those Belgian cycling results websites. Lifting his head only to make another coffee ("sometimes my fingertips tingle with the caffeine"), or to phone me; "Ed, there's a boy you should be talking to..."

Tony Gibb – From the Commentator’s Box; London Olympics Day Five

Track world cups last three days, occasionally four, the world championships last five days, and at those we have the five Olympic events plus a scratch race, individual pursuit, kilo/500 tt, men's Madison, so why oh why has the London Olympics Day Five schedule been a part of a six day programme? The sessions have been short, very short.

Franco Marvulli – On His Last Season Before Retirement

This Six Day season marks the end of an era. Depending upon which source you consult, Franco Marvulli of Switzerland has ridden somewhere between 112 and 117 Six Days, this makes him the most prolific rider on the circuit by a considerable margin – Robert Bartko for example has ridden 75, Iljo Keisse has 72 starts. Marvulli has won 32; not to mention four world titles – two in the scratch and two in the madison and Olympic silver in the same discipline. So how come his ‘goodbye’ isn’t a bigger deal?