When Bartali beat Coppi and the Giro unified war-torn Italy in 1946

Re-Cycle: The cycling history podcast

In this episode of Re-Cycle, Felix Lowe turns back the clock to June 1946, just a few months after the end of World War II. A reduced field took to the start of the Giro d’Italia in Milan, with Italy divided and in turmoil.

His career derailed by the War, Gino Bartali’s third victory in the Giro came 10 years after his first. But he had to battle hard to deny his former apprentice Fausto Coppi the Maglia Rosa by a margin of just 47 seconds, as their great rivalry came to a head.

An epic duel between the legendary pair was just what Italy needed – but as these two men resumed their rivalry, another less renowned rider would emerge to become the unexpected hero Italy was searching for in its time of need.

Re-Cycle is narrated by Graham Willgoss and produced by Pete Burton.

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