Fausto Coppi

Angelo Fausto Coppi was a legendary Italian cyclist who dominated international racing after the Second World War.

Because of his immense talent, he earned the title "Il Campionissimo," which means "Champion of Champions." Coppi was a complete, all-round racer who excelled in many different disciplines. He was a master of climbing steep mountains and a specialist in time trialing, which is racing against the clock. He was also a highly effective sprinter. His dominance helped define a golden era for the sport of professional cycling.

Coppi's journey began with a childhood passion for riding. As a young boy, he often skipped school to ride a rusty family bike. He eventually worked for a butcher named Domenico Merlani in Novi Ligure. To help his nephew's dream, his uncle gave him 600 lire to buy a proper racing frame.

Coppi traveled to Genoa to have a frame built to his specific measurements. He used his small salary from the butcher shop to buy his own tires and fittings. He later noted that climbing stairs during his workday helped make his legs very strong for racing.

His professional career reached incredible heights throughout the 1940s and 1950s. In 1940, at only 20 years old, he won his first Giro d'Italia. On November 7, 1942, he set a world hour record at the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan.

He rode 45.798 km using a 93-inch gear and an average cadence of 103.3 rpm. This record stood for fourteen years until Jacques Anquetil broke it in 1956. Coppi's ability to win major races across different countries made him a global icon.

Coppi achieved several historic milestones in professional racing. In 1949 and 1952, he became the first rider to win both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in the same year. He won the Giro d'Italia five times, a record he shares with Alfredo Binda and Eddy Merckx.

He also won the Tour de France twice and was the 1953 World Road Champion. His dominance was so great that in the 1949 Tour, he overcame a 55-minute deficit in the mountains to win the general classification. He also won the mountains classification that same year.

Italian cycling was famously divided by the rivalry between Coppi and Gino Bartali. This competition split the Italian fans, known as "tifosi," into two groups: the "coppiani" and the "bartaliani."

Bartali was viewed as a traditional, religious man favored in the rural south. In contrast, Coppi was seen as a modern, secular, and innovative figure in the industrial north. While Bartali relied on tradition and faith, Coppi was known for his scientific approach to training and diet.

Later in life, Coppi faced significant personal and professional struggles. In 1951, his younger brother, Serse Coppi, died following a crash during the Giro del Piemonte. In 1955, a public scandal involving his relationship with Giulia Occhini led to legal trials for adultery.

These events deeply affected his reputation and his performance on the bike. During his final years, he struggled to maintain his former strength. By 1959, observers noted he was no longer the dominant force he once was.

Despite these hardships, Coppi's impact on the sport remains immense. His racing style was described by contemporaries as being like a "Martian on a bicycle." He was often so much faster than his competitors that his lead was measured by the ringing of church bells rather than stopwatches. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest cyclists in history.

Many fans still honor his legacy through memorials and by studying his incredible career.