PUBLISHED ON ROULEUR ANNUAL 5  © all rights reserved

The first and last controversial Giro di Padania won from Ivan Basso. / Il primo e ultimo controverso Giro di Padania vinto da Ivan Basso.

extract from the article:

“In the 1950s  Gianni Brera, a hugely influential milanese sport journalist, re-invoked the ancient term “Padania”, a lost synonym for the Po valley. For Brera, staunchly pro-Coppi in the battle for post war Italian hearts and minds, Padania represented the civic, evolved north, distinct from and different to Bartali’s Tuscany and all points south.”

“When, on August 18, an outraged mayor of  Piacenza publically refused the racepassage, the national press waded in, planting the Lega firmly inside the Italian public’s collective headspace in this of all years. Five days later Paolo Ferrero, head of the Italian Communist Party, called a press conference. He drew parallels between Bossi and Mussolini, suggesting that the Lega was using sport to dupe the proletariat. Bossi had drawn his sting…”

words Herbie Sykes images Paolo Ciaberta

Praise for the Rouleur Annual:

“Rouleur is to bike magazines what National Geographic is to nature photography. Instead of glossy, well-lit portraits and fancy racing shots, its pages are filled with long, thoughtful photo spreads that drive deep narratives.” Wired magazine

“The finest photography of its genre” Robert Elms, BBC Radio London

“Quite simply, it makes you want to get on your bike and ride it” Kevin Braddock, Contributing Editor, British GQ