Bike Racing

[Graham Breeze]

Whilst Pogačar was the youngest winner for some time, at 21 years and 365 days, I should point out that Fausto Coppi won his first Giro d'Italia at 20 years and 158 days, and Giuseppe Saronni won his first Tirreno–Adriatico at 20 years and 175 days. There were even earlier winners, way back.



Before Graham mentions it, I should say there were 13 years (and World War II) between Coppi's first and last Giro d'Italia wins. In the current era, Mark Cavendish has won sprints in grand tours over a 15 year period between 2008 and 2023!

What you might have added is that Coppi was a POW during WW 11 so I guess his nutritional needs during those years fell a little behind that provided to Sky/Ineos riders, in or out of a pharmacy. Anyway I ride a Bianchi because Coppi did.

Incidentally (I know Marco will know this) Cippolini's Grand Tours were spread over 14 years and, of course, his 42 wins in the Giro is a record. I know he wasn't and isn't a saint - but he had style that that Manx shoulder-charging roughneck can only dream of.

I know this is romantic guff but Merckx won his 34 TdF stages along the path of being the greatest cyclist the world has ever known and probably ever will...and the prospect that a man who is carried round the TdF on a feather bed and then just sprints for 200 metres achieves 35 and adulation doesn't seem quite right to me.

I would have to reread my Merckx biographies to see how many TdF stages he gifted but even if it was only one it will be one more than Mr Manxman.

Having said that I do understand that no media outlet will pay journalists/ commentators to write/ say how great, say, Merckx was; so we live in an era of lauding instant heroes to collect the pay cheque and uphold circulation/ audience ratings.