EICMA managed to bring together nine Olympic gold medal winners at the Milan’s fair, on Thursday November 4th. It was a remembrance of 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome, where the Italian National Cycling team took six solid gold medals.
Living gold medallists from the Italian time-trial team Tony Bailetti, Giacomo Fornoni and Livio Trapè have been awarded together with multiple Olympic and World Champion Sante Gaiardoni, who took the victory in both the 1km time-trial and sprint races. After Gaiardoni, it was Sergio Bianchetto and Giuseppe Beghetto’s turn to take the stage. The Italian strong pair won the tandem track sprint event in Rome.
Last but not the least, team-pursuit living Olympic Champions Marino Vigna, Luigi Arienti and Franco Testa have been given the award from EICMA’s President Corrado Capelli who attended the ceremony jointly with General manager Costantino Ruggiero.
Many important presences attended this moment of memory and celebration: Paolo Bettini, latest Italian Olympic champion and current Italian Cycling Technical Director, Italian Cycling Federation President Renato di Rocco, but also former champions Felice Gimondi and Vittorio Adorni. Adorni also stepped on the stage together with the nine main protagonists of the event, for a group shot wearing the 5-circled Olympic champion white jersey, worn with pride and emotion by everyone.
A very emotional moment was the one when Fiorenzo Magni - former cycling champion, currently a successful businessman - who will be 90 in a few days, took the floor: “I am turning to 90, but not feeling like it. I would like to cross the a-hundred line and keep working like I do.” Before a celebration toast was offered to his honor, a 20.000€ check was given to Magni by the dismissing Italian Bike-friendly Cities Association to support the Ghisallo Cycling Museum.