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News
The Explainer – Who decides what’s “safe?”
Dear Explainer, By now, we’ve all probably seen the crash that highlighted the final kilometer of this year’s Giro d’Italia. While I was actually hoping for Danilo Di Luca to pull off a miracle win, I am pleased that he didn’t do it by having race leader Denis Menchov crash and lose enough time to lose the Giro.
A preview of the VeloNews July issue.
When American Taylor Phinney won the under-23 Paris-Roubaix on May 31, it made our decision to feature him on the cover of our July issue appear prophetic. It wasn’t, however, a tough decision to put Phinney on the cover. His elite world pursuit title in March saw the teenage phenom scratch the surface of his seemingly boundless potential.
Ghisallo: From Alfredo Binda to Alessandro Ballan, the world’s best cyclists have given jerseys to the museum.
Ghisallo: From Alfredo Binda to Alessandro Ballan, the world’s best (and mostly Italian) cyclists have given Tour, Olympic and world champion jerseys to the museum. Notable Italian names include Mario Cipollini, Ivan Basso and Gianni Bugno. But there are also tunics from Frenchman Bernard Hinault, Spainard Miguel Indurain, American Connie Carpenter and Ukranian Yaroslav Popovych.
Ghisallo: Fabio Casartelli was born in nearby Como in 1970.
Ghisallo: Fabio Casartelli was born in nearby Como in 1970. The Olympic gold medalist died in a crash coming off the Col de Portet d'Aspet during stage 15 of the 1995 Tour de France.
Ghisallo: A half-dozen famous bikes are displayed in the church, including this machine Fausto Coppi rode in the 1949 Tour.
Ghisallo: A half-dozen famous bikes are displayed in the church, including this machine Fausto Coppi rode to victory in the 1949 Tour de France.
Ghisallo: Pope Pius XII appointed the Madonna of Ghisallo patron saint of cyclists in 1949.
Pope Pius XII appointed the Madonna of Ghisallo patron saint of cyclists in 1949, and this church has since served as a shrine to cycling greats.
Ghisallo: Fausto Coppi also lives on outside the Ghisallo chapel.
Ghisallo: Fausto Coppi also lives on outside the Ghisallo chapel. Dubbed Il Campionissimo, this champion of champions won the Giro no less than five times. He also won the Giro di Lombardia five times. His other major wins include two Tours, one worlds, one Paris-Roubaix, three Milan-San Remos and four Italian national championships.
Ghisallo: Cycling clubs commissioned a statue of three-time Giro winner Gino Bartali.
Ghisallo: Cycling clubs commissioned a statue of three-time Giro winner Gino Bartali. In 1936, he won the Giro and the Giro di Lombardia, but also suffered the loss of his brother Giulio in a racing accident.
Ghisallo: In 1984, Francesco Moser won the Giro and set the hour record.
Ghisallo: In 1984, Francesco Moser won the Giro and set the hour record. His distance: 51.151km. He also won Giro di Lombardia in 1975 and ’78.
Ghisallo: Legend holds that a Count of Ghisallo prayed to Madonna atop this hill in the 11th century.
Ghisallo: Legend holds that a Count of Ghisallo prayed to Madonna atop this hill in the 11th century. A church was built on the spot in 1623.