The pennants, scarves, plates & certficates - 2
ITEM N°016
BALDINI Ercole (I)
(26.01.1933 – 01.12.2022)
His participation medal from the 1958 World Road Championships in Reims
Ercole Baldini was one of the greatest Italian champions of the second half of the 1950s. A remarkable rider, both powerful and elegant, he excelled on both the road and the track.
In 1956, whilst still an amateur, he set the world hour record at the Vigorelli velodrome in Milan, before going on to win the gold medal in the road race at the Melbourne Olympic Games. These achievements earned him the nickname ‘The Locomotive of Forlì’.
The year 1958 marked the peak of his professional career. After winning the Giro d’Italia, Ercole Baldini became world road champion in Reims, ahead of the Frenchmen Louison Bobet and André Darrigade.
The item on display is the participation medal awarded to Ercole Baldini at the 1958 Road World Championships. Polygonal in shape, it bears the inscriptions ‘Championnat du Monde’, ‘Reims’, ‘1958’ and ‘Paris’, accompanied by the colours of several nations. The patina and marks visible on the medal bear witness to its age. Preserved in its original condition, this item is a particularly precious memento of the Italian champion’s world title victory.
The photograph in the top left-hand corner shows Ercole Baldini at the 1964 Baracchi Trophy, alongside his compatriot Vittorio Adorni. Contested as a two-man team time trial, this event demanded power, endurance and perfect coordination between teammates.
The portrait depicts Ercole Baldini several decades after his exploits. It serves as a reminder of the exceptional career of a cyclist who, over the course of his career, won the titles of Olympic champion, world champion and winner of the Giro d’Italia.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this medal commemorates Ercole Baldini’s world title victory in Reims in 1958, one of the most prestigious victories of his career.
ITEM N° 022
BARTOLI Michele (I)
(27.05.1970)
His winner’s sash from the 1998 Three Days of La Panne
Born on 27 May 1970 in Pisa, Tuscany, Michele Bartoli is a former Italian professional cyclist. A professional from 1992 to 2004, he established himself as one of the finest classics specialists of his generation.
Nicknamed ‘the Little Lion of Flanders’, he stood out for his elegance, his sharp accelerations and his ability to excel both on the Flemish cobbles and on the Ardennes climbs. His attacking style and tactical acumen enabled him to build up a particularly prestigious list of victories.
In 1996, Michele Bartoli won the Tour of Flanders. He went on to triumph in Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 1997 and 1998, before winning the Flèche Wallonne in 1999 and the Tour of Lombardy in 2002 and 2003. He also claimed the Cycling World Cup in 1997 and 1998.
From 31 March to 2 April 1998, he took part in the Three Days of La Panne–Coxyde, a stage race held in East Flanders and West Flanders a few days before the Tour of Flanders. Finishing second in the final time trial behind the British rider David Millar, he held onto his lead and won the general classification. Michele Bartoli finished the race as the winner. This victory marked his second overall win in the Three Days of De Panne.
The item on display is the pennant awarded to Michele Bartoli on the occasion of this victory in 1998. It takes the form of a wide strip of fabric featuring Belgium’s three national colours: black, yellow and red.
The inscription ‘KB–3 DAAGSE’ appears at the top, whilst the words ‘De Panne–Koksijde’ identify the two towns involved in organising the event. The creases, signs of wear and slight fading of the inscriptions bear witness to the object’s actual function. Whether worn or displayed during the official ceremony, it preserves the vivid memory of the race and its winner.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this pennant perpetuates the memory of Michele Bartoli’s victory in the 1998 Three Days of De Panne. It bears witness to the success in Belgium of an Italian champion who, through his exploits in the classics, became one of the great masters of the Flemish roads.
ITEM N° 026
BEHEYT Benoni (B)
(27.09.1940)
His winner’s pennant from the 1963 Ghent–Wevelgem
Born on 27 September 1940 in Zwijnaarde, Benoni Beheyt is a former Belgian professional cyclist. A professional from 1962 to 1968, he was noted primarily for his sprinting ability and his success in the classics.
On 24 March 1963, he won Ghent–Wevelgem, one of the major races on the Belgian cycling calendar. This victory, achieved in only his second professional season, was one of the first major successes of his career.
A few months later, on 11 August 1963, Benoni Beheyt achieved his crowning glory in Renaix. Following a sprint that has gone down in history, he beat his compatriot Rik Van Looy to become world road champion in front of a Belgian crowd. He confirmed his calibre by winning, notably, the Grand Prix de Fourmies in 1963 and the Belgian road championship in 1964. His list of achievements also includes several stage wins and numerous podium finishes in Belgian and international competitions.
The item on display is the pennant presented to Benoni Beheyt on the occasion of his victory in the 1963 Ghent–Wevelgem. It is a precious physical memento of one of the Belgian champion’s most significant triumphs. The words ‘GENT’ and ‘WEVELGEM’ appear in gold lettering in the centre. A stylised blue line evokes the terrain or route of the race, and the year ‘1963’ appears at the bottom. A gold fringe borders the tip of the pennant and completes its elegant finish. The creases, the nuances of the fabric and the marks left by the passage of time reinforce the authenticity of this item, which has been preserved for over sixty years.
The historic poster displayed alongside it serves as a reminder that the 1963 edition of Ghent–Wevelgem took place on Sunday 24 March. The portrait of Benoni Beheyt holding a trophy, meanwhile, places this item within one of the most prestigious seasons of his career – the one in which he won the world title.
