BIANCHI Pista Reparto Corse – authentic bike of FAUSTO COPPI (1954) – SOLD

Fausto Coppi – A name, a name of the champion, the champion of the champions, an immortal cycling legend.

Angelo Fausto Coppi (15 September 1919 – 2 January 1960) was the dominant Italian cyclist, arguably one of the most talented and certainly the single most influencial cyclist of the 20th century. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo (“Champion of Champions”). He was an all-round racing cyclist: he excelled in both climbing and time trialing, and was also a good sprinter. He won the Giro d’Italia five times (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953), the Tour de France twice (1949 and 1952), and the World Championship in 1953. Other notable results include winning the Giro di Lombardia (5x), the Milan–San Remo (3x), as well as wins at Paris–Roubaix and La Flèche Wallonne and setting the hour record (45.798 km) in 1942.

Fausto Coppi – Il campionissimo

His first major success was in 1940, winning the Giro d’Italia at the age of 20. On 7 November 1942 he set a world hour record(45.798 km at the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan). He rode a 7.40-metre (291-inch) gear and pedalled with an average cadence of 103.3 rpm. The record stood until it was beaten by Jacques Anquetil in 1956.Coppi’s His career was then interrupted by active service in the Second World War.

Twice, 1949 and 1952, Coppi won the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France in the same year, the first to do so. He won the Giro five times, a record shared with Alfredo Binda and Eddy Merckx. During the 1949 Giro he left Gino Bartali by 11 minutes between Cuneo and Pinerolo. Coppi won the 1949 Tour de France by almost half an hour over everyone except Bartali. He was also 1953 world road champion.

Fausto Coppi after winning the stage at the Giro d’Italia

Coppi’s racing days are generally referred to as the beginning of the golden years of cycle racing. A factor is the competition between Coppi and Gino Bartali. Bartali’s rivalry with Coppi divided Italy and their fans. Bartali, conservative, religious, was venerated in the rural, agrarian from the south.  While Coppi, more worldly, secular, innovative in diet and training, was hero of the industrial north.

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali

In 1945, Coppi established a collaboration with the BIANCHI bike manufacturer  in and their team which would prove to be the most iconic liaison in cycling history. Bianchi and their Reparto Corse provide full support the Coppi with supplying and developing the best bikes of it’s era. During the following years he would modernise everything about racing. From tactics, to public relations, from outfit to technical details and training methods. The whole way a cycling team would operate up until today was introduced by Fausto Coppi.

Fausto Coppi at the Vigorelli velodrome in early 1950s

With this milestone of the cycling history, Premium Cycling reached the top of what we can offer to bike collectors worldwide – An authentic bike of Fausto Coppi, 1954 BIANCHI Pista Reparto Corse in original condition. The bike was presented in the book “Le bici di Coppi” as one of the 18 bikes that belonged to the champion of the champions.

The successes of this man, his life, the stories about him and the role he played for cycling as well as the tifosi – all that became so intertwined that to this day, he is the epitome of cycling sport’s glory.

Holly grail. A dream for a vintage bike collector.

Condition: Used, but good condition. Original paint, original decals, original setup.

Year: 1954

Price: SOLD (October 2024)