Probably the most famous bicycle road race is the annual Tour de France. It is a grueling endurance test with 21 stages over twenty-three days. While it is considered the world’s premier cycling event each year, other countries host their own versions. For Italy, their premier event is the Giro d’Italia or Tour of Italy. Along with the Tour de France, the Giro is one of cycling’s “Grand Tours.” Don’t confuse the Giro with the Greek gyro—too many gyros and one would find it difficult to cycle up those hills.
The subject of our blog today is a two-time winner of the Tour de France (1938 and 1948) and a three-time winner of the Giro (1936,1937, and 1946). Remarkably, Gino Bartali won his races before and after World War II. While he was a popular and revered national hero and will be remembered in the cycling world for his many achievements, Bartali’s most enduring and humane accomplishments came during the war. However, it was not until after his death in 2000 that his resistance efforts became public knowledge.
Did You Know?
Did you know we have set up a Pinterest site with a lot of interesting images. We hope you’ll visit the site often as Sandy is continuously updating it with new and interesting photographs. 
Let’s Meet Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali (1914−2000) was born in Ponte a Ema, Florence, Italy into a poor farming family. Gino grew up to be a physically strong young man with a boxer’s face. He was a devout Catholic throughout his life and earned the nickname, “Gino the Pious.” At the age of thirteen, Gino got a job in a bicycle shop. Shortly afterwards, he began racing and quickly gained an excellent reputation as an amateur. At the age of twenty-one, Gino turned professional and the next year, he became the Italian champion by winning the Giro for the first time. Watch a memorial about Gino here. Read More Cycling To Save Jews
