Een bezoek aan het Museo del ciclismo Gino Bartali in Toscane (Italië)

In 2019, the museum “Museo del ciclismo Gino Bartali” was opened in Ponte a Ema, a sub-municipality of Florence. After all, Gino Bartali was born in this sub-municipality and lived there all his life.

After his death in 2000, his fans for life (l'associazione amici del museo Gino Bartali) thought it was high time to create a museum dedicated to this great champion.

After long negotiations and administrative hassle, the museum was finally opened in 2019. Since the museum is opened by volunteers, it is only open on a limited basis: on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only from 10 am to 1 pm, Saturday until 2 pm. The advantage is that admission is (currently) free.

Overview history of the bicycle

In the museum you will find all kinds of historic bicycles and models such as the balance bicycle, the large Bi, army bicycles, transport bicycles and work bicycles as used by the knife sharpener, but also prototypes of gear units, adjustable cranks.

Prototype of a gear unit without a derailleur

You can get an explanation about these bicycles via the app of the museum, you can download it on your smartphone, information about this can be obtained at the information desk at the entrance.

You will also find a motorcycle of the Bartali brand that Gino once drove around with. In addition to bicycles, Gino also produced motorcycles, for a short period only: from 1953 to 1961.

Personal motorcycle of Gino Bartali of his own brand

Collection of historic racing bicycles

Of course, the main focus is on the steel racing bikes that were used in Gino Bartali's time. A number of Bartali's personal bicycles can also be admired, as well as personal attributes that he used in his long career: cycling jerseys, medals, cups, ...

Of course his legendary opponent Fausto Coppi also comes into the picture and there is even a jersey from Il Campionissimo to admire when he became world champion on the track.

There are also a number of racing bicycles on display from the G. Bartali brand, which were marketed from 1949 by the Fratelli Santamaria company from Novi Ligure in consultation with Gino. Until the end of his career, Gino rode his own bikes in his own team.

Track bike from Gino Bartali of his own brand

The museum is especially interesting to admire the bicycles and the components used in the time of Gino Bartali, but the life of even this legendary rider is not much discussed, who knows if there will be a room dedicated in the future to his heroic deeds during WWII when he saved many Jews from deportation.