Coppi v. Bartali?

This is not inconsequential.


There it is.

Coppista? You will say that "it is clearly Coppi handing off his bottle". You will say"Look at the form of the man, he is not looking back to grab a bidon; he is looking forward to the race." You will admire the intensity of his gaze . You will point out the downward glance and evident fatigue of Bartali. You will deny the possibility of a Bartali handup, saying "But his cages are full! He only has the one barmount, and the one downtube. Where would he have gotten that 3rd bottle if not for the munificence of Il Campionissimo in giving a drink to his greatest rival?!" Perhaps you will bare your teeth and growl.

Bartalista? You might sigh, and ask "why is it that Copppi holds his other bottle in his hand if not for the fact that he is engaged in replacing both, and aren't they both empty? Isn't Coppi receiving a full bottle from "Pious Gino", who in fact is sufferring humbly while Coppi grimaces through his dehydration?" You could question "whether anything at all can truly be told by the location of bottles in this picture. It may be that more is to be gained from the expressions; in which case isn't it the aging master calmly sacrificing his water for his greatest rival?!" Maybe your eyes will slowly close as brows go up and palms rise.





Here is the answer: It just doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter if the challenger is paying homage to the champion, or if the aging master is denying himself for the sake of his ascendant protege.


It's all love.

If I spike you, you'll know you've been spoken to.

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?