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

Jamie says:

Oct 19 2012 at 10:22 am

RIP
G'rilla says:

Oct 19 2012 at 10:39 am

I knew a few things about him, but his Wikipedia article left me breathless, especially the rest of the "teeth" story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorenzo_Magni
Steampunk says:

Oct 19 2012 at 11:10 am

I love that second pic, of him and Coppi smiling. There's something wonderful about the carefree expressions on both faces. Especially since both came from such embattled pasts. Magni was the third wheel of Italian cycling during much of his career, behind Coppi and Bartali. In any other era, he would have been a great champion in his own right.
wiscot says:

Oct 19 2012 at 11:40 am

I think there's an article here. Riders who were "third wheels." We've had articles on "eternal seconds" but there are others who were overshadowed by epic two-man battles. Of course, the last 20 years won't count in my research.

Mottet article is finished and will be submitted soon..
Dan_R says:

Oct 19 2012 at 12:17 pm

I will be opening a bottle of Ruffino in honour of the Magni tonight.

Chapeau and rest in a draft!
G'phant says:

Oct 19 2012 at 12:48 pm

Sad day. An icon. RIP.
Pedale.Forchetta says:

Oct 19 2012 at 1:33 pm

The Lion of Flanders.
silkrider says:

Oct 19 2012 at 1:34 pm

they don't make them hard like that anymore.
Deakus says:

Oct 19 2012 at 1:39 pm

@Steampunk

I love that second pic, of him and Coppi smiling. There's something wonderful about the carefree expressions on both faces. Especially since both came from such embattled pasts. Magni was the third wheel of Italian cycling during much of his career, behind Coppi and Bartali. In any other era, he would have been a great champion in his own right.

You make a very telling point. You can only ever appear that carefree when you have been through a whole world of pain and misery and have just been released from it. You sometimes see it in the face of disaster survivors. I have seen it in the face of veterans of war or a stolen moment of lightness when someone has suffered bereavement or the "black dog" has been visiting. Shared pain leads to shared joy and freedom...those on the outside can only peek in and guess what draws a smile from such pained lips.
Steampunk says:

Oct 19 2012 at 1:49 pm

@wiscot

There's a telling comment"”where? in Pedalare! Pedalare! or in Fotheringham's biography of Coppi?"”that Bartali and Coppi carved up all the wins in cycling after WWII. Whatever these two titans didn't win, Magni devoured.