Categories: In MemoriamThe Hardmen

In Memoriam: Fiorenzo Magni, December 7, 1920 – October 19, 2012

The Velominati mourn today the passing of Fiorenzo Magni, perhaps one of the Cycling world’s greatest living example of the spirit of The V and all that surrounds it.

Magni was the original Lion of Flanders, a feat heightened somewhat by his being Italian, not Flemish – though the Flemish had little to argue with after he won de Ronde three times in a row. He also famously used an inner tube tied to his stem and held between his teeth in order to compete in the Stage 13 time trial of the 1956 Giro d’Italia. Because quitting is for quitters, not hardmen. He finished second, a feat which we was more proud of than his three previous Giro titles.

Our sport is one of mighty peaks and valleys; the heights we reach are made great by the depth of the valley we have climbed from. Today, Magni has given us a monumentally deep valley. His passing leaves a void which may never be filled; men like him are rare in any age, but certainly the age in which we find ourselves presently. We shall walk this valley with honor and remembrance.

Magni was 91 years old, and suffered an aneurysm in today’s early morning hours. More information available at CyclingNews.com.

[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Magni/”/]

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Adrian says:

Oct 20 2012 at 3:46 am

@minion

And the photos are irrefutable proof that, the less hair you have on your head, the harder you are.

I pity you hirsute sooks.

The future is not bright for old Rigaberto Uran then....
TBONE says:

Oct 20 2012 at 10:01 am

The 2013 edition of the Giro will be dedicated to the memory of Fiorenzo Magni.

http://www.gazzetta.it/Giroditalia/en/19-10-2012/maglia-rosa-2013-dedicated-to-fiorenzo-magni-912948521220.shtml
itburns says:

Oct 20 2012 at 10:27 am

Article/tribute in La Gazzetta
Souleur says:

Oct 20 2012 at 10:49 am

@Buck Rogers

@Winelli

Today we mourn.
Tomorrow we ride.

+1. Well said.

word

+2
strathlubnaig says:

Oct 20 2012 at 12:20 pm

What a history ! A true character right enough.

That top picture reminded me of something, then I realised who, with the greatest respect.... it is the wide toothy grimace.
Dan O says:

Oct 20 2012 at 9:17 pm

Old school bad ass. Cool pics. 91 years - not a bad run. R.I.P.
William T Fox says:

Oct 22 2012 at 3:29 am

A true lion.
John Dunn says:

Feb 27 2018 at 6:08 pm

Magni is no hero of mine. He was a very vocal supporter of Benito Mussolini. Magni was a fascist. Towards the end of WW 2 he fought with a fascist military brigade against the Partisans. Just before Northern Italy was liberated by the Allies, this brigade and others like it, murdered Partisans. As a matter of fact Magni was charged with the murder of Partisans in 1947, 2 years after the war. He was exonerated after a trial. That does not erase who he was and that he was a fascist and collaborator of the Nazis.

A real Italian hero and "hardman" was Gino Bartali. He was not only brave and honorable cyclist, but a brave and very honorable human. He NEVER collaborated with the fascists. He used his bike to transport documents to help save Jews from the Nazi SS. These people were being hunted to be sent to their deaths in extermination camps. Bartali risked his very life to save others. I absolutely loved the picture of Magni from the 1956 Giro....until I read more about him. I can't stand the sight of it now.