Gino Bartali Italian professional cyclist Date of Birth: 14.07.1914 Country: Italy

Biography of Gino Bartali

Gino Bartali was an Italian professional cyclist born in 1914 near Florence, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Coming from a modest background, Bartali and his three brothers had to work from a young age to support themselves. At the age of 13, Bartali started working in a bicycle shop and saved up enough money to buy his first racing bike. He showed great promise as an amateur cyclist and turned professional in 1935.

In 1936, Bartali won the Giro di Lombardia and tragically lost his brother Giulio in a car accident. The loss deeply affected Bartali and almost led him to quit cycling. However, he returned in 1937 and won the Giro d'Italia, but he still faced doubts about his abilities outside of Italy. Tim Hilton, a journalist, once wrote that Bartali was only a champion when racing familiar routes with the support of his country.

In 1937, Bartali had a strong start in the Tour de France, but a fall from a bridge due to poor road conditions forced him to withdraw from the race. Despite setbacks, Bartali continued to compete and won the Tour de France in 1938. However, his career was put on hold due to World War II.

Bartali resumed his cycling career in 1948 and won the Tour de France with a significant lead over his competitors. Throughout the 1950s, he continued to achieve success in various cycling races, including the Italian National Road Race Championship and the Giro della Toscana.

Outside of his cycling career, Bartali was known for his pessimistic outlook on life. One of his favorite phrases was, "If something goes wrong, you have to start all over again." He lived his final years in Florence, where he kept souvenirs from his races. Bartali was married to Adriana Bartali, with whom he had two sons and a daughter. However, they later separated by his own initiative.

Gino Bartali passed away at the age of 86 in May 2000 due to heart problems. It was only after his death that it was revealed that during World War II, Bartali was an active participant in the Resistance movement. He helped transport forged documents to aid in the escape of numerous Jews during his cycling training sessions.