Fausto Coppi
Angelo Fausto Coppi (15 September 1919 – 2 January 1960) was an Italian racing cyclist. He was born in Castellania. He was one of the most successful and most popular cyclists of all time. He won the Tour de France twice, in 1949 and 1952. He won the Giro d'Italia five times, in 1940, 1947, 1949, 1952 and 1953. He also held the World Hour record (the farthest cycled in one hour) from 1942 to 1956.
He fought in the Second World War. He was a prisoner of war of the British. It is possible that Coppi could have won many more races in the five years that were lost because of the war. Coppi died of malaria in Tortoni in 1960 at the age of 40.
Major results
- 1941
- Giro di Toscana
- Giro dell'Emilia
- Giro del Veneto
- Tre Valli Varesine
- 1942
- Hour record - 45.798 km (Milan, Velodromo Vigorelli)
- Italian National Road Race Championship
- 1946
- Milan-Sanremo
- Giro di Lombardia
- Grand Prix des Nations
- Giro della Romagna
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stages 4, 13 and 14
- 1947
- Giro d'Italia:
- Giro di Lombardia
- Grand Prix des Nations
- Italian National Road Race Championship
- Giro della Romagna
- Giro del Veneto
- Giro dell'Emilia
- 1948
- Milan-Sanremo
- Giro di Lombardia
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner mountains classification
- Winner stages 16 and 17
- Giro dell'Emilia
- Tre Valli Varesine
- 1949
- Tour de France:
- Giro d'Italia:
- Milan-Sanremo
- Giro di Lombardia
- Italian National Road Race Championship
- Giro della Romagna
- Giro del Veneto
- 1950
- Paris-Roubaix
- La Flèche Wallonne
- 1951
- Tour de France:
- Winner stage 20
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stages 6 and 18
- Gran Premio di Lugano
- 1952
- Tour de France:
- Giro d'Italia:
- Gran Premio di Lugano
- 1953
- World Road Cycling Championships
- Giro d'Italia:
- Trofeo Baracchi
- 1954
- Giro d'Italia:
- Giro di Lombardia
- Coppa Bernocchi
- Trofeo Baracchi
- 1955
- Giro d'Italia:
- Winner stage 20
- Italian National Road Race Championship
- Giro dell'Appennino
- 1956
- Gran Premio di Lugano
- 1957
- Trofeo Baracchi
Fausto Coppi Media
Coppi (right) riding the 1953 Giro d'Italia