Il bene si fa ma non si dice. E certe medaglie si appendono all'anima, non alla giacca. "Good is done but not spoken. And certain medals hang on the soul, not the jacket." ~ Gino Bartali
The Bartali concern was founded by the renowned Gino Bartali as a manufacturer of high-end racing bicycles. Bartali, born on the 18th July 1914, acquired world-wide acclaim as a racing cyclist, notably winning the Tour de France in 1938 and 1948 and the Giro d' Italia in 1936, 1937 and 1946, in a career that spanned three decades and included numerous other wins in all the major races. His rivalry with Bianchi team-mate Fausto Coppi, both on and off the circuits, is legendary. It is said to have divided Italy into two camps: those who supported the conservative and devout Bartali, and those who found Coppi's "celebrity" lifestyle more appealing. As with many sporting stars, Bartali sought to capitalise on his name following retirement, the obvious product being bicycles. Now highly regarded by collectors, Bartali cycles appear to have been less successful than the man who lent his name to them. The marque struggled in a crowded marketplace and examples are consequently rare.
Little known before his death in 2000 is the story of his wartime escapades. He was a member of a secret network set up by the Catholic Church to save Jews, many of them German refugees, from the Nazi invasion following Italy's change of heart in 1943. The church's efforts were successful, with some 80% of Jews in occupied Italy escaping the horrors.
Bartali was apparently a very humble person. The BBC quotes his son Andrea as saying, "When people were telling him, 'Gino, you're a hero', he would reply: 'No, no - I want to be remembered for my sporting achievements. Real heroes are others, those who have suffered in their soul, in their heart, in their spirit, in their mind, for their loved ones. Those are the real heroes. I'm just a cyclist.'"
