Hidden in his handlebars.
- 3 days ago
- 1 min read
Gino Bartali was a two-time Tour de France winner in 1938 and 1948 – quite an amazing feat to win cycling’s greatest prize with a ten-year gap in between, but that was not to be his greatest accomplishment.
You see, Germany occupied Gino’s native Italy in 1943. His fame as a Tour winner meant the Nazis allowed him to cycle freely through the countryside wearing his familiar Italian racing jersey. He conceived a plan to use his training regimen to aid the Underground as he cycled hundreds of miles throughout much of occupied Italy. Somehow counterfeit paperwork found its way into his handlebars and the seat of his bike. This same paperwork saved the lives of hundreds of Italian Jews by falsely preventing their deportation to Auschwitz.
Like many heroes after the war, Gino spoke very little of what he had done. After all, countless people had done whatever they could. It was only after his death in the year 2000 that his amazing efforts became known. In 2013, this cycling hero was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
Thank you, Gino.
