800 Jews through his actions, serving as the courier of the forged documentation that would later allow them to escape. Despite the grave personal danger, he hid his Jewish friend Giacomo Goldenberg and his family in the cellar of his house for the latter part of the war. In 1943 he cycled across the Alps into Switzerland while pulling a cart containing a secret compartment in which Jewish refugees were hiding, ostensibly as 'part of his training'. Last year, at the Israeli Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Gino “Il Pio” (The Pious) was awarded the title of 'Righteous Among the Nations' for his actions during the war.
Gino Bartali has gone down in history as one of the greatest Italian cyclists of all time, famed for his rivalry with fellow countryman Fausto Coppi, his ability on the mountains, and the manner in which he won his titles. However, an even greater part of his legacy, which has only recently come to light, was his work saving Jews during WWII despite the unimaginable personal risk. Heroes like Bartali are an indivisible part of the Giro, even today, and they are part of what makes the Giro such a pivotal historical and cultural spectacle.