[Dissector]

Fiorenzo Magni

This image is from 1956–the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia. At the time, Magni was 36 years old. He’d broken his collarbone on the previous stage. There was a rest day in between the crash and when this photo was taken.

The 13th stage was an individual time trial with a significant amount of climbing. While warming up, he discovered he could not pull up on his bars. Quickly, his mechanic, Faliero Masi (later of Masi bicycle fame) devised an ingenious way to give Il Leone some leverage. Masi cut an innertube and tied one end of it to Magni’s stem. He then asked Magni to hold the other end in his teeth and pull back when he would otherwise need to pull up on the bars. It worked, and Magni lived to fight another day.

[...]

On the 16th stage, he crashed heavily on the same shoulder as his broken collarbone. (He could not brake with his left hand and his back wheel slid out on a fast descent.) He fractured his humerus, but did not know it at the time.

He passed out from the pain. Because of the respect the peloton had for Il Leone, they waited. The ambulance came. He regained consciousness and was given water. He refused to be driven to the hospital. He remounted and ultimately finished the stage. Later, he would not see a doctor. He did not want to know the extent of his injuries.

[...]

During the final two stages, Magni repeatedly attacked Gaul in an attempt to win his fourth Giro, but the attacks were unsuccessful. Gaul was too strong, and Magni too depleted.

Although second overall on GC, Magni has stated that this was his proudest victory.

http://www.velominati.com/2011/05/gu...-perseverance/