Luigi Bergamo’s
Top 3 Giro d’Italia Moments

1985
Francesco Moser vs Bernard Hinault and explosive technical innovation

My earliest favourite Giro d’Italia moment is a sentimental one from when I was a young boy but also important in my personal history of passion for equipment and it’s the 1985 edition. This Giro d’Italia was a great battle between Francesco Moser and Bernard Hinault eventually won by Bernard Hinault. It was a great battle between two great riders but also a battle influenced very much by equipment and in general a great moment for technical innovation: after the ’84 Giro edition where Moser had been the only rider with a Time Trial specific bike, ’85 saw all the top riders come with TT bikes and innovative aero equipment, it also saw the introduction of LOOK’s first ever clipless pedal (used by Hinault) and the definitive moment of the phasing out of woollen clothing.

It is my opinion that Francesco Moser was stronger than Hinault but lost because of some technical errors and lack of access to the best equipment: in particular at the first time trial he used only one disc wheel at the back whilst Hinault used front and rear disc wheels which were also lighter and with a faster profile.

A real highlight for me was the final time trial in Lido Camaiore in Lucca where Moser beat Hinault but not by enough to take the Maglia Rosa. After the scandal of 1984 where it was alleged that Moser had received assistance from the race organization’s helicopter in the time trial, Bernard Tapie, the millionaire owner of Hinault’s new team, La Vie Claire, stated that he would send his private jet up to intercept the helicopter should he note any foul play!

2013
Nibali wins in the Dolomites

My third favourite Giro d’Italia memory is more recent and is Vincenzo Nibali’s victory of the 2013 edition. His victory was secured on an epic stage in our backyard of the Dolomites at Tre Cime di Lavaredo in extreme conditions which put many riders to the sword. I also remember watching my great friend Ivan Santaromita arriving at the end of the stage shivering terribly.

I guess it is a fond memory because of the victory on my local training roads, the way the extreme weather made all the technical choices of riders so interesting and also because it was the first year of Q36.5—you could say I was very motivated to create something really special for the pros in coming years. In fact, already in 2013 there were some riders in the peloton using my new Q36.5 chamois pad and also the Leggera socks. In 2014 I would be ready with special rain gear for some of my friends from the peloton.