- Ottavio Bottecchia
Ottavio Bottecchia, a mith of italian cyclism!
Ottavio Bottecchia was born the 1th August 1894 in Borgo San Martino di Colle Umberto, Treviso. Since he was a young boy, Ottavio partecipated to prize competitions and, in one of it, he won a golden watch to gained the first position. Enlisted at the beginning of the first Big War, he was engaged in a special team: “esploratori dʼassalto”, he was equipped with folding bikes and rewarded for his actions, as he obtained the bronze medal to military valour.Teodoro Carnielli, owner of a small bicycles industry and president of “Associazione Sportiva di Vittorio Veneto”, was the first who give him a racing bike as a present; and he sent the champion to the directors of “Sport Union of Pordenone”, where he started to gain the first successes."
The eleventh edition of “Giro dʼItalia” was won from Costante Girardengo, but Ottavvio Bottecchia was fifth in the general classification and first in the isolated classification. Thanks to Giro dʼItalia he became for the press “best man in the race” and obtained the first contract with Aldo Borella of Automoto french house. With him he take part to Tour de France in the same year. We are in 1923 and since the end of the first leg there is a surprise: at the end of 381 km from Paris to Le Havre, Bottecchia is in second place out of 200 and more participants. The french fans acclaim at him: “Bottescià Bottescià! “."
The french reporters proclaim the italian champion daily." Tour de France ended and Bottecchia gained the second place." In 1924, Bottecchia was on his best conditions, he rode on his bike without any effort in every slope, the breath was perfect and his mood very high. The 22nd of July the first page of “Gazzetta dello Sport” write in enormous letters: “Bottecchia triumplhy win Tour de France and gain the aim which the best routiers in vain followed for 20 years”." Bottecchia is not only the first italian who win the famous french competition, but also the first cyclist who wore the yellow t-shirt from the first to the final leg. The next year, at the end of twentieth Tour de France, only 49 cyclist out of 130 participants, come back to Parc des Princes, and Bottescià is first with more than 54 minutes on Lucine Buysse. Once again in Paris, Bottecchia become a champion and the italian sport is at its maximum level."
Werde Fan bei Facebook!
