Costante Girardengo

Costente Girardengo (born the March 18th 1893 with Ligure Novi, deceased the February 9th 1978 with Cassano Spinola) is a Racing cyclist Italy N. He was the best Italian cyclist during the the Twenties.

Biography

Beginnings

Passed professional in 1912, it finishes 9th Turn of Lombardy. The following year already, it obtains the first of its new championships of Italy professional on road. It also gains a stage with the Turn of Italy which it finishes in the 6th place. It registers moreover the race Rome-Naples-Rome with its prize list. The following year, in addition to its second national championship, it allocates the Lucques-Rome stage of Giro (430 km.). Its career is then stopped by the beginning of the First World War. It starts again to run in 1917 and is classified 2nd with Milan-San Remo which it gains the following year. It will gain six times the " Classicissima" , a record only beaten 50 years later by Eddy Merckx.

The magic year

In 1919, Girardengo becomes champion of Italy for the 3rd time. In Giro, it gains 7 stages and preserves the pink shirt from beginning to end. In autumn, he triumphs with the Tour over Lombardy. Although it preserves its national title until in 1925 and that it still gains some beautiful traditional, at the time of the three following years, it does not manage to republish its success with the Turn of Italy. Each time, it is constrained with the abandonment. In 1921, it gains however the first four stages.

Second victory in Giro

In 1923, it gains for the 3rd time Milan-San Remo and joins again with success with the Turn of Italy from which it gains the final classification and eight stages. After one year without blow of glare, the star of Girardengo shines again in 1925: he becomes champion of Italy for the 9th time, gains its 4th Milan-San Remo and finishes 2nd of Giro, behind the rising star Alfredo Binda, by gaining 6 stages of continuation, proving that he can still make large things at 32 years.

Decline

1926 mark a turning in its career: after its 5th success with Milan-San Remo, it must leave the championship of Italy with Alfredo Binda. The Girardengo era touches at its end. In 1927, at the time of the first championships of the world (which proceed in Germany), it must be again acknowledged overcome vis-a-vis Alfredo Binda. It gains only one test this year, the Six days of Milan. At 35 years, it could not compete any more with the young champions of world cycling. It put a term at its career in 1936.

After its career

After its career, Costante gave its name to a mark of bicycle which also sponsorisait a professional team of which it was with the head.

The gangster and the champion

Apart from cycling, Girardengo made speak about him with a history related to its friendship with a notorious gangster of the time: Health Pollastri, which was one of its large supporters. Sought by the police force, Pollastri had always succeeded in escaping to him. But when a police officer included/understood the love of the gangster for cycling, it succeeds in stopping it close to the arrival of a race where Pollastri awaited the passage of his/her friend. Health was thus victim of its passion for the victories of his/her friend. The anecdote even inspired a song, " It bandito E it campione" , (text and music of Luigi Grechi name of scene of Luigi De Gregori, brother of Francesco), sung by Francesco De Gregori (1992/1993). Here is the refrain:

Large Vai Girardengo vai campione
Nessuno Ti segue known quello stradone
Vai Girardengo not if vede più Sante
E dietro has quella curva E sempre più distant

Prize list

Champion of Italy on road: 1913,1914,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925
Turn of Italy: 1919,1923
Milan-San Remo: 1919,1921,1923,1925,1926,1928
Turn of Lombardy: 1919,1921,1922
Milan-Turin: 1915,1919,1920,1923
Milan-Modena: 1919,1920,1928
Rome-Trento-Trieste: 1919
Turin-Geneva: 1920
Genoa-Nice: 1921
Milan-San Pellegrino: 1921
Rome-Napled-Rome: 1925
Turn of Emilie: 1918,1919,1921,1922,1925
Turn of Piedmont: 1919,1920,1924
Turn of the Milanese: 1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924
Turn of Romagna: 1922,1926
Turn of the Lake Léman: 1922
Turn of the Two Gulfs: 1922
Tower of the Province of Turin: 1922,1923
Turn of Venezia: 1923,1924,1925,1926
Turn of Tuscany: 1923,1924
Race of XX Settembre: 1921,1922,1923,1924,1925
Wolber Grand Prix: 1924
Price of Geneva: 1922
Six-Jours of Milan: 1927 (with Binda)
Six-Jours of Breslau: 1928
Six-Jours of Leipzig: 1928
Six-Jours of Milan: 1928
30 stages of the Turn of Italy

Teams

1912: Maino (Italy)
1913: Maino (Italy)
1914: Automoto - Continental (France)
1914: Maino (Italy)
1915: Bianchi (Italy)
1916: Bianchi (Italy)
1917: Bianchi (Italy)
1918: Bianchi (Italy)
1919: Stucchi (Italy)
1920: Stucchi (Onbekend)
1921: Stucchi - Pirelli (Italy)
1922: Bianchi (Italy)
1923: Maino (Italy)
1924: Maino (Italy)
1925: Wolsit (Onbekend)
1926: Wolsit (Onbekend)
1927: Wolsit (Onbekend)
1928: Maino (Italy)
1928: Opel (Onbekend)
1929: Maino - Clement (Italy)
1930: Maino - Clement (Italy)
1931: Maino - Clement (Italy)
1932: Maino - Clement (Italy)
1933: Girardengo (Italy)
1933: Maino - Clement (Italy)
1934: Maino - Clement (Italy)
1935: Maino - Girardengo (Italy)
1936: Maino (Italy)

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