The medals and plaques - 1
ITEM N°516
ALBANI Giorgio (I)
(15.06.1929 – 29.07.2015)
His gold medal as Italian road champion in 1956
Born on 15 June 1929 in Monza, Giorgio Albani was an Italian cyclist who turned professional between 1949 and 1959. Fast, consistent and particularly effective in one-day races, he spent most of his career riding for the prestigious Legnano team.
His list of achievements includes around thirty victories. Notable wins include the Coppa Agostoni in 1950, the Tour of Piedmont and the Tour of the Apennines in 1952, the Coppa Bernocchi in 1953, followed by the Tre Valli Varese and a second victory in the Tour of the Apennines in 1954. Albani also distinguished himself in the Giro d’Italia, in which he competed in ten editions. He won seven stages between 1952 and 1956 and wore the pink jersey for one day in 1952, the year in which he finished tenth in the general classification.
The 1956 season marked one of the high points of his career. Winner of the Tour of Veneto and two stages of the Giro, he was, above all, crowned Italian road champion. At that time, the national title was awarded based on a points classification drawn from several major races on the Italian calendar.
After hanging up his cycling boots, Giorgio Albani went on to enjoy a remarkable career as a team manager. For many years, he managed the Molteni team and, in particular, worked alongside Eddy Merckx during a particularly glorious period.
The item on display is the gold medal awarded to Giorgio Albani for his 1956 Italian road cycling championship title. It stands as a tangible testament to one of the most significant honours he achieved during his career. One side features the coat of arms of the Italian Republic – a star surrounded by a wreath of foliage – along with the inscription "IL PRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA". A stylised branch completes this official design. The other side depicts an athlete in profile holding a palm frond, a traditional symbol of victory and sporting merit. The twisted rim and the loop at the top lend the whole piece the solemn appearance of an honorary award.
The handwritten letter reproduced on the left accompanies the medal and details its origin. In it, Giorgio Albani’s daughter recalls her family memories and confirms that this award was presented to her father on the occasion of the 1956 Italian Championships.
ITEM N° 502
BOST Josiane (F)
(07.04.1956)
Her medal as runner-up in the 1976 French pursuit championship
Born on 7 April 1956 in Tournus, in Saône-et-Loire, Josiane Bost is a former French cyclist. She excelled on both the road and the track and is regarded as one of the finest representatives of French women’s cycling in the 1970s.
Her career was marked by her sporting rivalry with Geneviève Gambillon. On the road, Josiane Bost reached the podium at the French Championships on several occasions: she finished second in 1972, 1975 and 1977, and third in 1976. She achieved international recognition in 1977 in San Cristóbal, Venezuela, by becoming world road champion. She won the race solo ahead of the American Connie Carpenter and the Dutch rider Minnie Brinkhoff, thereby etching her name into the world record books.
Josiane Bost also achieved excellent results on the track. Having finished second in the French individual pursuit championship in 1975 and again in 1976, she won the national title in this discipline in 1977 and 1978. She also became French sprint champion in 1978.
The item on display is the silver medal awarded to Josiane Bost for her second place in the 1976 French Individual Pursuit Championship, won by Geneviève Gambillon. This metal medal is suspended from a tricolour ribbon in blue, white and red. Its traditional shape and silver finish reflect its status as an official award presented at a national championship. This memento therefore bears witness to Josiane Bost’s power, consistency and endurance.
Listed in the collection under the number N.G. 502, it is a precious memento of the French champion’s track career, one year before she won her world road title.
ITEM N° 567
BRACKE Ferdinand (B)
(25.05.1939)
His silver medal from the 1965 World Pursuit Championships
Born on 25 May 1939 in Hamme, Ferdinand Bracke is a former Belgian cyclist who turned professional in 1962 and retired in 1978. A remarkable all-rounder, he excelled on the track as well as in time trials and major stage races.
He became professional world pursuit champion for the first time in 1964. The following year, at the World Championships held in San Sebastián, he won the silver medal in the event, beaten by the Italian Leandro Faggin. He won another World Championship silver medal in 1966, before regaining the world title in 1969. On 30 October 1967, in Rome, Ferdinand Bracke also set a new world hour record by covering 48.093 kilometres. He thus became the first cyclist to break the 48-kilometre barrier in this legendary event. His skills as a road cyclist also enabled him to build up an impressive list of road race victories. He won two stages of the Tour de France, in 1966 and 1976, as well as the Grand Prix des Nations. His greatest success came in 1971 when he won the overall classification of the Vuelta a España, ahead of Wilfried David and Luis Ocaña.
The item on display is the silver medal awarded to Ferdinand Bracke at the 1965 World Professional Pursuit Championships, held at the Anoeta Velodrome in San Sebastián. Slightly trapezoidal in shape, this metal medal bears the inscription ‘World Championships – Professional Pursuit 1965’ on its obverse. Its design depicts two stylised cyclists, a direct evocation of the characteristic duel seen in track pursuit racing. The reverse is adorned with the inscription ‘Union Cycliste Internationale’, the colours of several nations and the words ‘2nd prize’, confirming the Belgian cyclist’s position as world runner-up.
The press article reproduced in the display recounts the events held in San Sebastián and mentions Ferdinand Bracke’s defeat by Leandro Faggin in the pursuit. It thus places the medal in its sporting and historical context.
The accompanying photograph shows Ferdinand Bracke several decades later, holding this very same medal alongside the collector. It highlights the personal connection between the champion and this significant memento of his career.
