His constantly spectacular victories, placing kilometres between himself and the others, the record conquered by winning Giro (d'Italia) e Tour (de France) in the same year, a world title, two Tours, five "Giri", an hour record and, finally, his premature death - caused by the malaria he got during a safari in Africa - placed him right into myth and legend.

In the 50's cycling was more than a sport, it was collective mania, which gathered around itself all Italians.
The 'campionissimo' (super-champion), Fausto Coppi, was a great example of a sportsman, shown in the extraordinary simplicity with which he transmitted his passion for cycling to his team-mates, with whom he trained.

A fragile kid with a big nose who won his first Giro d'Italia in 1940 when he was just twenty. A figure who was outside of the "Italic" scheme, of International stature, albeit being one of the greatest post-war Italians, among those who gave lustre and honour to a nation that came out in pieces from the war.

Beloved for his feats, we cannot say the same for his private life: the famous "white lady" was not loved by Coppi fans, because they saw in her the cause of his decline, which on the other hand coincided with age. Nevertheless Coppi continued to race even after 40, when he arrived last, beyond maximum time: in truth, he couldn't live without races. Without his bicycle he felt dead.

He was the beginner of modern cycling: he invented the team game, work on the bicycle, the nutritional cure. He would have won all, were it not for all his physical trouble, from which he always nevertheless got better with great ease. Breaking his pelvis in 1950 was a very serious fact, but he healed within five months.