1953 Giro d'Italia
Il Campionissimo. Look at that shi_. Look at that form, those angles. Look at the road surface! Check the tires width. Riding for real. He is using that bike. Using it as a platform, climbing all over it to keep that forward movement.We can talk about that kind of riding all day. But it cannot be taught and learned except that we go to that kind of place, get uncomfortable, lose fluids, hurt and persevere.
Seen here with his mentor, the blind "magician of the muscles" Biaggo Cavanna. You know that guy stripped to his smudged and torn undershirt to do the work. Drank whiskey and dropped ash all over the World's Greatest. That's the kind of massage that really allows for recovery. If I had pictures to prove it, I'd post them right here.
Style for miles. Style for the miles.
Folks want to talk about the rivalry between these 2 great men. There is a "divide" between them. Who gave what bottle to whom, and what did it mean?People talk. Let them talk. Coppi. Bartali.
This is the photo.What is happening there? I personally know the answer. What do you think?
8 comments:
that is riding. that is riding I could do everyday. love the woolens with the stylish collars. dirt everywhere. mountains to cross. this post resonates loudly. what's the story with the photo?
I recall reading that Italy paved the high mountain roads just so Fausto would have better conditions to race. He was a uniting force, a rallying point, for all of Italy after being beaten down so badly by the war. I'm a big fan, he was probably one of the three best riders ever.
Here is a synopsis:
http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkxkLDX1JwTUApN1XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByaDc2aWY5BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNwRjb2xvA3NrMQR2dGlkAw--/SIG=11l1hfs25/EXP=1233018507/**http%3a//www.rouleur.cc/7artfothers
Basically, the rivalry was such that all of Italy was split between the idolization of one man or the other. Check the Moulton links for background; they're good, esp. considering the revelation (to me, at least) that Bartali used his status during WWII to help smuggle Jews out of Italy to safety!
The question is: who is handing off the bottle. Either a fading champion is "passing the torch" to help his teammate and arch rival/replacement in the humblest of ways, or a rising star is paying respect/homage to the master (who happens to be in his way) in the humblest of ways.
This was a time without team radios (yes! nowadays it's like the directors play chess using riders as pawns. Where is the rider initiative or experience?) and with minimal support. The loss of that resource would have been significant to these guys. There was no team car resupply behind them.
I will reveal the secret knowledge on Friday...in the meantime, what say the masses?
I think Coppi has lost both his bottles (noting two empty cages) and Bartali is handing up his downtube bottle (he can perhaps spare one, his bar-mounted bottle intact).
In any case, Reverend, thanks for a most stylish history lesson.
Coppi has 2 bottles- 1 in each hand.
Bartali has both his bar and downtube bottles in their respective cages.
Consider those facts.
Still anyone's guess here.
Coppi wouldn't be giving Bartali a bottle because Bartali already has two bottles and Coppi would then be only left with one.
I think Coppi dropped his bottle, Bartali picked it up for him, then scooted up to Coppi so he could hand it to him. Coppi is retrieving his bottle (gratefully, I'm sure) from Bartali.
I have just been informed of being scooped on this retrospective, and by someone with more skill and knowledge! See Belgium Knee Warmers here:
http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/2009/01/coppi-and-me-part-i.html
for the start of a quickly readable and fantastic IV part series on these 2 Great Ones.
I do notice, they neglect to cover our Great Mystery.
Brenda may have a point-except for the scooting part. Bartali may have "suffered mightily to rejoin" Coppi.Then again...
Where are the Big Brains in the audience?
alright first photo of the bottle pass, whiskey...the caption is 'herk, smooooth, thanks bra', second photo, 'who cares...i'm racing alleycat this weekend, stupor bowl XII' oh no, that was my line... see ya
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