Marco Pantani

 Marco Pantani

"Il Pirata" would have been 54 years old yesterday. He and Fausto Coppi are probably the most revered cyclists in Italy.

Why? An early death under tragic circumstances explains part of it but Zio likes to think it's a lot more than this and their racing records.

Both men overcame injuries and other obstacles to win and win again - something that can't be explained away as a product of doping.

Both men endured scandals, but overcame those too and both were revered by former teammates for their generosity.

Books in English about them are more rare than they should be. Matt Rendell's "The Death of Marco Pantani" is still available as is Manuela Ronchi's "Man on the Run: The Life and Death of Marco Pantani. Zio thinks both should be read to get a balanced take on The Pirate.

William Fotheringham's "Fallen Angel: The Passion of Fausto Coppi" does a pretty good job of describing Il Campionissimo. Sadly, most of the other books about Coppi Zio likes are no longer in print, his favorite being Herbie Sykes' "Coppi: Inside the Legend of the Campionissimo".

Eighteen years ago today

 RIP PIRATA

They're at it again. Every year around this time they dredge-up some "news" about Marco Pantani.

We posted this a few years ago. Nothing much has really changed.

Catching up

 Catching up?

Long time, no post. The Olympic Games are going on and it's nice to watch 'em on Italian TV where they cover them as a sporting event rather than adding all the political baloney as in the USA. We're not trying to paper-over anything going on in China but the constant drumbeat of how China shouldn't be hosting what is billed as the "world's largest peace festival" is tough to understand from a country still running things like GITMO and (until recently) banning entry to their country to Muslims.

Marco Pantani is back in the news as usual around the month he was found dead in a motel room back in 2004. This time Bicisport has a cover-story about how his over-50% hematocrit finding back in 1999 was an error. Zio sent 'em a letter asking how they explain only "The Pirate" exceeding the limits because the the UCI "vampires" used a poorly-calibrated "entry-level" machine for the tests when half-a-dozen other racers were tested at the same time? None of them exceeded the limits so the machine only gave the wrong reading when Pantani's blood was tested? Really?

Ernesto Colnago turns 90. Heather had a Colnago-branded track bike (one we think was made by Antonio Mondonico) and our friend Mauro Mondonico now works for Ernie. Whatever you think of the bikes now that most of 'em are made in China and the whole thing is owned by some petro-sheiks, Colnago's reputation is mostly for things he made rather than just marketing-mojo. At his birthday party he said: "I've spent my life building bicycles, it's the only thing I know how to do. History can not be bought, it is made with love." 

Bravo Colnago e buoncompleanno!

Covid-19 Update: Italy currently has almost 90% of its eligible population fully vaccinated. The masks-outside requirement will be discontinued next week, though masks-inside rules continue. “Already in spring, between April and May 2022, we will reasonably be out of the pandemic,” Matteo Bassetti, director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Genoa, told Rai Radio1 on Wednesday.

Click HERE for the latest information on entering Italy from elsewhere.

We hope things are improving where you live as well!!!

Finally, there's another in the "Is it April 1st already?" collection. For some reason Chris Froome believes there's a market for $95 t-shirts. Why there's an Italian tricolore stripe on this stuff is another mystery as neither he nor the "designer" of this stuff is Italian, but what do we know? 

What's next, one of those NFT things? Will these guys take crypto-currency as payment?

Marco Pantani - 15 years ago

Marco Pantani passed away 15 years ago today.

There's not much more to say, but below are links to past blog posts about Il Pirata

RIP Pirata

https://cycleitalia.blogspot.com/2016/02/marco-pantani-12-years-gone.html

https://cycleitalia.blogspot.com/2015/02/marco-pantani-il-pirata-1970-2004.html

https://cycleitalia.blogspot.com/2014/02/remembering-pirate-1970-2004.html

http://cycleitalia.blogspot.com/2012/02/marco-pantani-rip-pirata.html

https://cycleitalia.blogspot.com/2011/02/marco-pantani.html

La Valorosa 2017

La Valorosa 2017 dei Borghi del Metauro

This bici d'epoca event was the 7th in the Giro d'Italia d'Epoca 2017 series and the only epoca ride (other than Eroica CA) that fit with our schedule this year. That's gonna change for 2018!

The 1st thing Larry always does when he arrives is admire the old bikes. The finish on this one is gorgeous and how'd you like to shift the gears? First, loosen the Q/R skewer via the long rod that goes up the seat stay. Then pedal backwards while selecting your gear using the other rod that controls the forked thing that pushes the chain back and forth.. The dropouts are slanted backward and serrated so the chain tension is taken up. Then close the Q/R skewer and be on your way in your new gear. We've seen this done and it takes less time to do than it took you to read this!!

La Triestina is the second part of the Wilier name but I didn't see WILIER anywhere on this bike.

Gorgeous crankset, eh? Obviously this bike has been carefully restored to probably better than it's original state, but who cares?

Bianchi bikes are of course everywhere, but you don't see too many of these!

Is this REAL gold plating? The pantographing was nice too.

The organizers invited me to the pre-event dinner where this was parked outside. This event was not all that far from Cesanatico, Marco Pantani's hometown and the passions still run high for The Pirate.

Young Giacomo (above) had a very old bike. Youngsters can make it around the course on these old things, but not yours truly!

Amerigo Severini, 86 years young was out there with a son and grandson! He was a pro rider during the time of Fausto Coppi as well as 3 time Italian National Champion in cyclocross with silver and bronze medals from the World Championships.

Folks dragged some odd stuff out of the garage for this event. A full-on Moser chrono bike wouldn't be my choice for this course but it was cool to see it in action. Another guy rode a similar OLMO bike with disc wheels front and back!

Here's the start. I saw numbers up to almost 200 so the turnout was good on this very hot day.

The first ristoro came quickly as they wanted all of us to pose on the steps of the museum. Once I find the pages with those photos I'll put up a link. 

A lot of the staff, including the club president were dressed in period costumes and  transported around the course in old cars or on old motorcycles. It was a nice touch.

Larry's Bianchi takes a break while he enjoys some refreshments.

Marco was from Firenze and a veteran of EROICA. We hope to see him next year at EROICA Montalcino, the new name for their primavera event.

One of the really cool things about these events is the locally-made bikes. Adriatico is one I'd never heard of or seen before.

Here's an old Moto Guzzi - called the Falcone. There are lots of these still running in Italy. They're famous for the exposed "meat-slicer" flywheel you can clearly see above.

La Valorosa was a great event! These folks demonstrated their passion and hospitality with a band playing at one of the stops along with the caravan of period vehicles piloted by folks in period costumes. Sadly, it was insanely hot and somehow Larry got talked into riding the long course by the promise of the great scenery. They were right about the great scenery, but despite drinking a ton of water along with other liquids and eating well, Larry had the worst case of leg cramps...ever. The last 20 kms were a real calvary but it was all worth it...or will be once the cramps are gone. I don't think I could have driven home that night and I'm still feeling the effects a day later!

Many thanks to GS Ciclo Club Calcinelli for making me feel like a celebrity!!!

On the drive back from the event we passed by the HQ of the Mercatone Uno company, sponsor of Marco Pantani's team.

One might say they're still exploiting the Pirate's fame, but I prefer to think of this more as a tribute to Pantani, a man widely misunderstood by Anglo-Saxons. He was far more than merely a foil for BigTex. Italians revere him because despite all kinds of misfortunes (crashes caused by vehicles, black cats, etc.) he rose out of his hospital bed time and time again to compete with the best. His tragic death (just like Fausto Coppi's) just adds to the legend. RIP Pirata.

Marco Pantani - 12 years gone

Above: Pantani memorial atop Passo Fauniera

Larry was a bit under-the-weather yesterday so this post is one day late.  Il Pirata passed away on Valentine's Day 2004. Too many Anglo-Saxons view Pantani as merely a foil for BigTex at LeTour. To Italians and cycling fans in general he was much, much more.

Click above for a nice video and audio tribute. We kind of doubt anyone will be composing a song for BigTex anytime soon.

RIP Pirata

Marco Pantani "Il Pirata" 1970-2004

On this day in 2004 "Il Pirata" Marco Pantani was found dead, alone in a hotel room. Americans and English-speakers in general don't seem to understand what The Pirate meant to Italians. I asked a few during this past week and for many the day they learned of his death was one of those "where were you when you heard?" moments, like when a president was assassinated or planes hijacked by terrorists flew into buildings in New York City.

To most English-speaking cycling fans Pantani was little more than a thorn-in-the-side of BigTex and when Tex was finally disgraced Pantani's legacy went with it.  But Pantani is remembered here in Italy in a way similar to Fausto Coppi, another cycling hero who left us at a young age, another one who will never get old.

English-speakers dismiss Pantani as nothing but a doper, as if all of his performances came out of a syringe. Perhaps they don't know, since to them he was little more than a foil for BigTex, how many times The Pirate climbed out of a hospital bed after a crash that was not his fault to return to the top levels of cycling. That drive, passion and courage to try again does not come out of a syringe. While Coppi was physically fragile due to early years of malnourishment, perhaps Pantani was (like many gifted climbers) mentally fragile, since when his world collapsed around him in 1999 he took solace in cocaine. Even after this he came back to the top of his sport. Drug use doesn't erase the things he did or the dreams he created. For this reason he's still revered here in Italy, in ways some can not, or will not, understand.

This monument is on the climb to Passo Mortirolo. The plaque reads:

You cyclists!!! To everyone who passes by!!! I ask only a small gesture, a small greeting, a little thought to this great man who liked us to dream, we pay tribute to the PIRATE! And remember this is his climb, his summit, his way to make us feel emotions, real emotions, emotions we felt only as children, YOU’LL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!!

This memorial (above) is atop the Colle Fauniera, another scene of Il Pirata's exploits,

This treasured image (above) was created by our friend Marc Reynolds.

Here's a link to a great tribute to Il Pirata.

Here's one to his story.

If you'd like to know more, we suggest reading BOTH of the books listed below, as we believe the true story is somewhere in the middle.

The Death of Marco Pantani

Man on the Run: The Life and Death of Marco Pantani

and finally...

Another CycleItalia blog post remembering Pantani

RIP Pirata

Marco Pantani 10 years ago

"Il Pirata" passed away in February 2004 but his spirit lives on in our hearts. Take a close look at this photo taken on the ferry to Bellagio as we crossed over to climb to Madonna del Ghisallo after paying our respects the previous day at his memorial on Passo Mortirolo. Heather wrote this when she learned of his death-- It was just one of many slogans scrawled onto the homemade banners that floated above a sea of cheering tifosi gathered atop the Passo Mortirolo. But its truth rang though the chaos and sticks in my head today. It said, “Pirata—farci sognare” make us dream. This is the precious gift of sports heroes. Marco did make us dream—he made us dream about what humanity could be. He was a shy, elfin, bald guy who showed that ordinary men could fly... When Marco was in the race and the road tilted upwards, even the cynical eyes of wrinkled Italian men sparkled with joyous anticipation. He made anything, everything seem possible for all of us. It’s as if he was a god from Olympus, holding up some magic mirror that reflected the potential in us all. And so it seemed appropriate, a year or two ago, when I read that he was training alone in those Olympian mountains of Greece. It was right that he escape to those lofty, dreamy, peaks—because the world below had done nothing but drag him down. A jeep strayed into his high-speed path on a supposedly closed race-course, mangled his leg and nearly took his life. But he rose from those ashes, first to sing poetry on the broadcast of a Giro he should have won but couldn’t take part in, later to pedal perilously close to the heavens, winning the Giro and the Tour, resurrecting our dreams again. Then a legal scandal pulled him down. Guilty or innocent, he was chosen to bear the brunt of a massive backlash against the drugs that had infested his sport. For every would-be eagle inspired by his soaring, there seemed to be two vultures waiting to feed upon his wounds. And as the wounds multiplied so did the vultures—you could see them pecking at his soul in that last, valiant, return to the Giro. Well, they, we, finally killed him off. Today Marco was found dead in a hotel. He didn’t die at the peak of his beauty; the modern sports machine had been sucking the life from him for years. Maybe he decided to take the last part himself. I’d like to imagine that he’s really still in those hills, escaped from the world of big-time sport, soaring among the peaks of Olympian gods. You may say that’s just a dream, but dreams are one of the best things we have. And Marco made us dream.