If you are a cycling fan, you can't not know Costante Girardengo, one of the greatest Italian cyclists of all time. If you think you know everything about his life and career, test yourself with our quiz! Answer the questions and find out if you really are an expert on this champion.
Hello everyone, today we are going to talk about one of the most famous Italian cyclists of all time: Costante Girardengo. Born on March 18, 1893 in Novi Ligure, in the province of Alessandria, Italy, Girardengo was one of the protagonists of world cycling between the 1910s and 1930s.
Start of Costante Girardengo's career.
Girardengo began his cycling career at the age of 17, in 1910, participating in an amateur race in Novi Ligure. In 1912, he turned professional and began competing in road races throughout Italy. In 1913, he won his first major race, the Giro di Lombardia, beating Italian champion Luigi Ganna.
The victories of Costante Girardengo
From then on, Girardengo won numerous races, both in Italy and abroad. In 1919, he won his first Italian title, beating outgoing champion Gaetano Belloni. In 1922, Girardengo won his first major international race, the Paris-Roubaix, beating Belgian champion Albert Dejonghe.
In 1923, Girardengo won his first Giro d'Italia, beating defending champion Giovanni Brunero. He then won the Giro d'Italia again in 1925 and 1926, becoming the first Italian cyclist to win the race three times.
Over the course of his career, Girardengo also won numerous other titles, including the Milan-San Remo, the Giro di Lombardia, the Coppa Bernocchi and the Coppa Ugo Agostoni. In 1933, at the age of 40, Girardengo announced his retirement from racing.
Curiosities about Costante Girardengo
In addition to his many victories, Girardengo is also famous for some curious facts about his career. For example, in 1928, during the Milan-San Remo, Girardengo fell and broke his arm. Despite the injury, he decided to continue the race and, with his arm in a cast, managed to win the race.
In addition, Girardengo was one of the first cyclists to use gear shifting, a technological innovation that gave him a competitive advantage over other cyclists.
The retirement and death of Costante Girardengo
After his retirement from cycling, Girardengo devoted himself to coaching and sports commentary. In 1978, at the age of 85, Girardengo died in Cassano Spinola, in the province of Alessandria.
Conclusions
Costante Girardengo was one of the most important and famous Italian cyclists of all time. Thanks to his many victories and curiosities, he became a legend of world cycling. His career is an example of determination, courage and passion for the sport, values that we should all try to follow in our everyday lives.