Luigi Ganna: leggenda

· 2 days ago

Come una leggenda.
Ai giorni nostri ha dell’incredibile e dell’irreale il fatto che il giovane diciassettenne Luigi Ganna, tutte le mattine, si recasse in bicicletta da Induno Olona a Milano per fare il muratore, con una sacca fissata sul manubrio, con una pagnotta e una bottiglia d’acqua zuccherata allungata con un po’ di vino. Sole, pioggia o neve che fosse ogni giorno percorreva 100 km in bicicletta attraverso strade di terra battuta e un gran numero di buche. Luigi Ganna a questo suo impegno, alle energie consumate ogni giorno, dà un’altra valenza, usandolo come duro e serio allenamento per l’attività sportiva in bicicletta. Così nel 1905 Luison, detto anche il “gigante buono”, decide che la bicicletta sarà lo strumento con cui giocarsi il proprio avvenire. Sin dalle prime corse emerge il talento del giovane Ganna il quale si rivela ben presto l’uomo da battere in un ciclismo che sta diventando sempre più uno sport popolare. Consegue vittorie sin dal primo anno di attività agonistica, ogni anno che passa è una continua escalation fino alle grandi vittorie del 1909, anno in cui trionfa alla Milano – Sanremo e soprattutto al primo Giro d’Italia. Nello stesso anno grazie ai successi sportivi si compra la casa e una piccola officina. La diffusione delle sue biciclette avviene nel 1912 quando, con la vittoria alla Gran Fondo “La seicento chilometri” su una bicicletta di propria costruzione, si ha una delle più credibili presentazioni del nuovo prodotto. L’ascesa dell’azienda è rapida e in pochissimi anni l’officina diventa capannone e la produzione da artigianale industriale. Lavoratore instancabile dalla ferrea volontà, si impegna per offrire alle masse lavoratrici una bicicletta robusta, elegante e a basso prezzo. Nel 1914 lascia le corse per dedicarsi alla sua attività e successivamente alla costituzione della prima squadra “Ganna” ottenendo numerose vittorie tra le quali è doveroso ricordare la vittoria di Fiorenzo Magni del Giro d’Italia del 1951 in sella ad una bicicletta Ganna. Dopo la prima guerra mondiale l’azienda iniziò a costruire anche motocicli e Ganna divenne ben presto un marchio apprezzato in Italia e all’estero.

Negl’anni la tradizione non ha mai cessato di essere tramandata e oggi Ganna produce una gamma completa di biciclette con oltre 100 modelli suddivisi nelle linee city bike / trekking, hybrid, corsa, mountain bike, special bikes, junior ed ecobike che si contraddistinguono per il design ricercato, la qualità dei materiali e quella cura del dettaglio propri di un marchio che ha fatto storia.

Source: Retro-Ganna

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Cecchi, The Giro To Give A Gift To His Children

· 16 days ago

Sulle strade d’Italia
Ezio Cecchi (1913-1984) participated in 11 editions of the Giro d’Italia. Here, during the 4th stage of May 26, 1950, the Livorno-Genoa.

In ’48, surprisingly, with 3 stages to go he was wearing the pink jersey, but it didn’t finish as he had hoped.
The race was won by Fiorenzo Magni, who took advantage of some “help” on the climb.

It happened in Cortina d’Ampezzo, in 1948. Friday, June 4, at the start of the third-to-last stage of the Giro d’Italia, against all odds, the pink jersey was on the shoulders of Ezio Cecchi, known as Cecchino, a man who didn’t have the elegance of Coppi, nor the strength of Bartali, nor even the cunning of Magni. But that day the symbol of command was on him, he who had to go around the seven churches to find a team at the beginning of the season. Nobody wanted him, he was too old, what could he do at thirty-five years old? By now he was a tired horse. «Cecchino» was hired by Cimatti, more out of pity than confidence. But it didn’t matter to him: the important thing was to be able to race the Giro and earn a few lira to buy a sailor suit for his son and a gold chain for his daughter. This is what Ezio Cecchi, known as «Cecchino», son and grandson of a dynasty of broom makers from Monsummano, in the province of Pistoia, wanted. Three stages to go and the pink jersey to defend. «Cecchino», who knew his limits, studied the route from Cortina to Trento, identified the points where the road rose and those where it levelled out and then you could rest a bit. He did everything he could, but it wasn’t enough. Coppi set off with his round pedal stroke, he left everyone behind and left the others only crumbs. “Okay,” «Cecchino» said to himself, “if I have to lose to Coppi, I’m fine with that: he’s the strongest.” When he reached the finish line, however, after falling and risking his neck, he discovered that the pink jersey didn’t end up on Fausto’s shoulders, but on those of FiorenzoMagni. But how? They dragged him uphill, he let himself be pushed all the way up the mountains, it’s not fair. The jury had noticed those irregularities and punished him, but with a strange penalty mechanism that allowed him to become the first in the rankings. Incredible! «Cecchino» was indignant. And so was Coppi who didn’t even start the next day, packed his bags and went home in protest. In Milan, «Cecchino» arrived 11 seconds behind Magni, but had the satisfaction of hearing the crowd booing the winner. People always know where justice lies.

- Byline Andrea Schianchi
(translated from Italian)

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The 90 Year Old Cyclist : Benjamin Piovesan

· 326 days ago

This is a film portrait of Florent Piovesan’s grandfather, Benjamin Piovesan, illustrated through his love of cycling. Benjamin immigrated to France, at the end of World War II, when he was 14 years old (approximately 1947) with his family who were looking for employment opportunities.

Growing up in France, Benjamin’s parents bought him a bike when he was young so he could come home to the family farm once a week from his work some 25 kilometers away. But then, life took over, and Benjamin didn’t ride for many years until his son, Patrick, got involved in serious cycling. Patrick bought his dad a road bike and Benjamin started cycling again.

Florent Piovesan:
“10 years ago I made a short documentary about my grandfather who was 80 at the time and still cycling everyday. The video was very well received and was even Staff Picked! This was my first proper short documentary and of course it was made with limited gear, experience and budget.”