When Gino Bartali saved Italy from the civil war

Who was Gino Bartali

Born on 18 July 1914 in the Florentine suburbs, Gino Bartali was born and grew up with a passion for cycling. As a boy he dominates the races reserved for young people, even if sometimes he prefers to leave the victory to his escape companion in exchange for the prize he received, so as to be able to convince his father that perhaps it was better to continue pedaling. Religious observant, enrolled in the Catholic Action, passed professional in 1935 with the Frejus. In Milan-Sanremo of that year snaps on the Cape Berta and is preparing to win against all odds, but the volcanic organizer of the race Emilio Colombo supports him for a few miles in order to distract him and allow the most important opponents to reach the unknown fugitive .

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Thus began his magical career: in 1936 he completes the Giro d'Italia with Legnano, the brand that from then on will mark the career of Bartali forever, at that time the brother of Gino, Giulio died in a race. Gino, taken by discouragement, initially considers abandoning the competitive spirit, but then is convinced of the need to continue to compete in memory of the late brother. Before the war broke out, he managed to win three editions of the Giro di Lombardia, one Milan-Sanremo, another Giro d'Italia and the 1938 edition of the Tour de France.

Equipped with an out-of-the-ordinary resistance, during the Second World War Bartali continued to train by transporting the necessary photos for the creation of documents for Jews persecuted by the fascist regime into the bicycle. The war deprives him of the most brilliant years for a runner, those just before 30. However, Ginosi will earn the nickname of Timeless just to be successful, despite the forced stop, to return more competitive than ever in the second forty years. His career ended only in 1954, with Bartali still managing to win two more Milano-Sanremo, another Giro d'Italia, two editions of the Tour of Switzerland and the most important of all the 1948 Tour de France.

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The facts of 1948

After the second world war, Italy is a country more split than ever. The rivalry is no longer that between republicans and partisans, which then turns into the struggle for national liberation, but a more political and modern rivalry that reflects within it two opposing worldviews of the world.
The beginning of the Italian Cold War occurred in that period: on one side the Christian Democrats, on the other the new Popular Democratic Front constituted by socialists and communists.
The first republican political elections were held on March 18, 1948, amid the pressures of the new US and Soviet superpowers, and a growing tension. In the electoral propaganda the instrumental use of fear peeps: on the one hand, the left coalition accuses the adversaries of being Vatican and United States, on the other side the center party attacks the alliance trying to convince the Italians that the choice is not so much between two parties of different ideologies, as between Christ and the Antichrist, between the West and the Soviet Union.
At the end of the polls, the election results show a clear victory for the DC which gets 48.5% of the votes compared to the 31% collected by the Front
Because of this election in Italy outbreak a very intense rivalry between the two parts of different ideologies that brings Italy almost to the brink of civil war

The 1948 Tour

In 1948 The Italian delegation showed up in France to take part in the Tour
The race starts on June 30th and the finish line in Trouville is surprisingly crossed by Ginettaccio again winning the first post of the Tour de France 1948
When on July 25th Bartali got on the podium in Paris, and with his victory the situation in our country had finally subsided. He succeeded in a company that had become a member of sporting legend, as well as having contributed decisively to reassuring a truly disturbing social situation. Italy is one step away from the abyss, and Bartali saves it by pedaling.
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