Franco Giorgetti

Francesco " Franco " Giorgetti ( born October 13, 1902 in Varese, † March 18, 1983 in Bovisio Masciago ) was an Italian cyclist and Olympic champion.

1920, Franco Giorgetti member of the Italian team that won the gold medal in Antwerp in the team pursuit at the Olympics, with Arnaldo Carli, Ruggero Ferrario and Primo Magnani. In the race over 50 kilometers, he finished sixth, and in the sprint, he retired in the second round.

The following year, Giorgetti was professional. In 1921 he won the Tour du Lac Léman. In the following years he lived primarily in the United States, where he mainly drove as protege of cycling manager John Chapman Six Days. Overall, he competed in 46 six-day races, but only three times in Europe, of which he won 14, together with prominent partners such as Robert Walthour, Jr., Reggie McNamara, Alfred Letourneur and others. From the U.S. press he was called "Italian Kid", and the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini spoke of him as " Cristoforo Colombo della bicicletta ".

Four times was Franco Giorgetti American masters of the uprights. In 1933 he was also Italian champion stayer, launched at the UCI Track World Championships in Paris in 1933 and was runner-up, behind the pacemaker Arthur Pasquier. Shortly before the outbreak of World War II he returned to Italy. In 1941, he was the second time national champion stayer and ended his career.

1938 Giorgetti was built by King Victor Emmanuel III. honored as Cavaliere della Corona d' Italia; 1998, a sculpture of him was unveiled in front of the sports center in Bovisio Masciago.

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