Fausto Coppi

Born in 1919, Angelo Fausto Coppi became the rider other riders studied. He took his first Giro d'Italia in 1940, then returned from the war to claim four more between 1947 and 1953. In 1949 he swept both the Giro and the Tour de France, then did it again in 1952. He set the hour record at 45.798 km in 1942, won the World Championship in 1953, and collected the Giro di Lombardia five times and Milan–San Remo three. Climber, time trialist, sprinter — he had no weak flank. He died in January 1960, forty years old, still Il Campionissimo.