The history of the Giro d’Italia is littered with champions. The Corsa Rosa has grown into the sporting gem it is today thanks to the amazing accomplishments which, over the years, have been pulled off on its roads.
This sport oozes heroic history, and that is the reason why, starting in 2012, the Giro d’Italia has created its own Hall of Fame: remembering and celebrating those riders who have added indelible pages to the myth of this race. In particular, inductees are all those winners of the Corsa Rosa who did not get the opportunity to receive the now renowned and coveted Trofeo Senza Fine, which was only introduced in 1999.
The first to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, back in 2012, was the greatest of all time, Eddy Merckx, followed by Felice Gimondi, in 2013, Stephen Roche, in 2014, Francesco Moser, in 2015, Ercole Baldini, in 2016, Bernard Hinault, in 2017, Miguel Indurain, in 2018, Vittorio Adorni, in 2019, and Gianni Motta in 2022.
This year, the time has come for Giuseppe Saronni and Franco Balmamion to be awarded their very own Trofeo Senza Fine. The former won the 1979 and 1982 editions of the Giro d’Italia, as well as 24 stages in total, while the latter won twice consecutively, in 1962 and 1963. The celebration has been held on Thursday, 12 October, as part of the Trento Sports Festival, organised by the Gazzetta dello Sport, an opportunity to pay tribute to two cycling greats, whose accomplishments are renowned in Italy and beyond.
Click here to find out more about the Giro d’Italia Hall of Fame.
