Madonna del Ghisallo

The Madonna del Ghisallo (in French Notre-Dame de Ghisallo) is small a very picturesque Chapelle located in top of the collar of Ghisallo close to Bellagio and of the Lac of Like. It is located on the commune of Magreglio in the province of Like.

The collar of Ghisallo is very known professional racing cyclists. It was very often the major difficulty of the Tour of Lombardy allowing the decision between the favorites as that was still seen at the time of edition 2006 of this great classic. The Tour of Italy also borrows it very often.

A vault devoted to the cyclists

The Madonna del Ghisallo is particularly venerated cyclists, and in 1948 the pope Pie XII devoted it “ universal Patronne of the cyclists ”. A torch blessed by the Pope was carried of Rome to the Vault. The last two relay runners were Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi.

Many relics were deposited by the most famous cyclists: one can admire in particular the bicycles of Bartali, Magni, Coppi, Merckx, Gimondi, Motta, Moser, Casartelli, of many shirts of the runners and their distinctions.

The bicycle very damages Fabio Casartelli which had committed suicide in the descent out of the collar out of Portet d' Aspet out of the turn out of France 1995 was also deposited by its close relations.

Just beside the vault, a museum of cycling was inaugurated the October 14th 2006 by Fiorenzo Magni at the time of the Turn of Lombardy 2006. On the esplanade also a statue dedicated to the cycling is which represents a runner which raises the arms (the winner) and another fallen to ground (the loser), to recall to all the candidates who should be kept the sporting spirit and which important is to take part.

Description of the collar

To go up to the collar of Ghisallo there are two slopes. When they speak about " Ghisallo" the cyclists almost always hear the direct rise of Bellagio which is most difficult.

Since the junction at the exit of Bellagio, the collar presents approximately 4 km of rise, follow-up of approximately 3 km with a little rest, and to finish approximately 1,5 km of rise to the Vault. The total unevenness is of approximately 500 meters, the top is to 754 m of altitude. The rise presents a rather constant slope with an average of 9% and one maximum of 14%. There are many turns in the final part. The best professionals succeed in achieving the course in less than 20 minutes, Paolo Bettini put approximately 19 ' 30" in the Turn of Lombardy 2005.

Other places devoted to cycling

In France

In 1958, to 1500 km of the vault of Ghisallo, a large amateur of cycling and Tour de France, the abbot Joseph Massie, outgoing after having said the mass in the small vault of Géou close to Labastide-in Armagnac in the Moors known as while being turned over towards the vault: ”… it came to me an idea… it would be well if one made here a vault for the cyclists, as in Italy…!”

The May 18th 1959, the pope Jean XXIII exaucé the wish of the Massie abbot concerning the old vault to make of it the national sanctuary of cycling and the bicycle touring for France by devoting it to the Virgin: Notre-Dame of the Cyclists . The abbot Joseph Massie had connected at that time the two vaults to bring back a flame blessed after having crossed the Alps with the Col of Tightens in the bicycle. The capacities cyclists of the Massie abbot were already recognized because it had crossed the Tourmalet out of cassock a few years before what made of him a Don Camillo French.

In Spain

Nuestra Senora de Dorleta (in French Notre-Dame de Dorleta ) is regarded as the owner of the cyclists in Spain. The Sanctuary Notre-Dame de Dorleta is located in the Basque Country, in Salina de Leintz (out of Basque Leintz Gatzaga ), in the province of Guipuzcoa, close to the collar of Puerto de Arlaban (617 m).

The crowning of the Virgin of Dorleta took place on October 26th, 1958 with Arlaban.

There are other places in Spain which beseech Notre-Dame de Dorleta.

References

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