The trophies - 3
ITEM N° 012
BAHAMONTES Federico (E)
(09.07.1928 – 08.08.2023)
Trophy commemorating his victory in the 1959 Tour de France
Born on 9 July 1928 in Santo Domingo-Caudilla, in the province of Toledo, Federico Martín Bahamontes is one of the great figures of Spanish cycling. An exceptional climber, he was nicknamed the ‘Eagle of Toledo’ due to his ease and elegance on the climbs.
Turning professional in the early 1950s, he built most of his reputation on mountainous routes. His spectacular style and attacks on the major mountain passes quickly made him one of the most popular riders of his era.
Bahamontes won the Tour de France mountains classification six times, in 1954, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963 and 1964. He also claimed several stage victories in the three Grand Tours and distinguished himself in both the Vuelta a España and the Giro d’Italia.
The year 1959 marked the pinnacle of his career. Thanks to his climbing prowess and a decisive performance in the uphill time trial at the Puy de Dôme, he took the lead in the Tour de France and retained the yellow jersey all the way to Paris. He thus became the first Spanish cyclist to win the Tour de France.
The item on display is a trophy commemorating this historic victory. It is not necessarily the official trophy awarded at the finish of the Tour, but a commemorative piece directly associated with Federico Bahamontes’ success in 1959.
Federico Bahamontes, who passed away on 8 August 2023, remains a legend of the Tour de France.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy celebrates both Federico Bahamontes’ triumph in the 1959 Tour de France and the nickname that made him famous. Through the power of the eagle it depicts, it preserves the memory of one of the greatest climbers in the history of cycling.
ITEM N° 015
BALDINI Ercole (I)
(26.01.1933 – 01.12.2022)
Trophy presented by Ercole Baldini at a UCI meeting in Luxembourg in 1990
Born on 26 January 1933 in Villanova di Forlì, Ercole Baldini was one of the leading figures in Italian cycling in the 1950s. A powerful rider, he was nicknamed the ‘Train of Forlì’ due to his strength and consistency over long distances.
The year 1956 marked his entry into the history books. He became the amateur world pursuit champion, won the road race at the Melbourne Olympic Games and set a new world hour record in Milan with a distance of 46.394 kilometres.
Having turned professional in 1957, Baldini won the Italian championship in his very first season and finished third in the Giro d’Italia. He also won the Baracchi Trophy alongside Fausto Coppi. His 1958 season marked the peak of his career. He won the overall classification of the Giro d’Italia, became Italian champion once again and claimed the world road cycling championship title in Reims.
The item on display is a trophy presented personally by Ercole Baldini at a meeting of the International Cycling Union held in Luxembourg in 1990. This object therefore does not commemorate a specific victory, but rather a meeting with one of the most prestigious champions of his generation. The trophy takes the form of an elegant metal cup. Its slightly flared body is framed by two large decorative handles with curved lines, inspired by classical ornamentation.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy preserves the memory of the meeting with Ercole Baldini in 1990. The photograph of the presentation and its direct link to the Italian champion lend it a special historical and sentimental value.
ITEM N° 017
BALLERINI Franco (I)
(11.12.1964 – 07.02.2010)
His trophy for winning Paris–Brussels in 1990
Born on 11 December 1964 in Florence, Franco Ballerini is a former Italian professional cyclist who competed from 1986 to 2001. His power, endurance and ability to tackle difficult routes made him one of the leading classics specialists of his generation.
He secured his first professional victory in 1987 at the Trois Vallées Varésines. Three years later, riding for the Del Tongo team, he won Paris–Brussels, ahead of the Belgians Michel Dernies and Danny Neskens. Ballerini remains most closely associated with Paris–Roubaix. After being beaten by just a few centimetres by Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in 1993, he won the famous cobbled classic twice, in 1995 and 1998, whilst riding for the Mapei team.
His list of honours also includes the Grand Prix des Amériques in 1990, a stage of the Giro d’Italia in 1991 and the Circuit Het Volk in 1995. He brought his career to a close after his thirteenth appearance in Paris–Roubaix, in 2001.
He went on to become coach of the Italian national team, guiding Mario Cipollini, Paolo Bettini and Alessandro Ballan to several world titles. He also coached Paolo Bettini to Olympic gold in Athens in 2004.
The item on display is the trophy awarded to Franco Ballerini for his victory in the 1990 Paris–Brussels race. This cup commemorates one of his first major successes achieved outside Italy. The accompanying photograph shows Franco Ballerini in Mapei colours, holding this very trophy alongside Noël.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this trophy commemorates Franco Ballerini’s victory in the 1990 Paris–Brussels race. Its commemorative plaque and the accompanying photograph make it an artefact directly linked to the Italian champion’s career.
