Talk about a pleasant surprise! During our trip to Triëst in northern Italy we came across an exhibition of vintage racing bicycles in a shopping arcade, organized by the Società Ciclistica Gino Bartali. These friends of the Tuscan cycling legend Gino Bartali had brought their collection of Italian racing bikes for the occasion and you can count on a few gems.
Well-known brands such as Colnago, Moser, Pinarello, Bianchi and De Rosa were displayed alongside internationally less well-known brands such as Viner, Torpado, Faggin, Guerciotti and Wilier Triestina.
The largest offer was of Willier Triestina, which can be explained by the fact that the bicycle manufacturer Wilier has the city of Trieste in its heart. This explains the addition Triestina because the seat has always been in the Veneto region and not in Friuli Venezia Giulia, of which Trieste is the capital.
There was also a Bianchi bicycle that (probably) once belonged to Marco Pantani, witness his name on the top tube on the frame and the accompanying photo. It is up to the experts whether it is an original bicycle or a replica!
