Giro 100
Giro 100
by Herbie Sykes
For better or for worse, the Giro d’Italia remains the sporting metaphor for Italians. To celebrate its centenary, Herbie Sykes produced a unique – and uniquely personal – evocation. In realising it he undertook a Giro of his own. Travelling the length of the peninsular, he met with 100 of its constituents, and simply listened to their stories. They were the champions and gregari, the superstars and nearly-men, their wives, families and tifosi. There were kingmakers and journalists, sponsors and officials, those who have loved it and a few who abhorred it. Collectively their testimonies represent a journey to the heart of the race, and to Italian cycling identity.
This, however, is a cycling journey with a difference. In a departure from recent cycling convention, they were invited to open not only their hearts, but also their scrapbooks, photo albums and old cupboard drawers. There’s no anodyne photographic agency fodder here, no clichéd Dolomite vistas and no hackneyed portraits of Coppi, Merckx or Pantani. Rather the images conjure the spirit, pathos and beauty of the greatest race on earth and, more poignantly still, of 100 lives conditioned by it.
“No matter how many books about the Giro you might have already read, Giro 100 is worth adding to the tally. It’s a perfect complement to any other book about the Giro as there is so little overlap – even when covering the same stories. An extraordinary collection of unusual stories about the Giro, told by 100 of its less well known participants”
“The Giro 100 is probably the saddest, sweetest, funniest and most thoughtful cycling book I’ve yet reviewed for the Café Bookshelf. For English-speaking cycling fans, it’s the Giro d’Italia book that effortlessly shows you why the corsa rosa matters”
Special Edition
Special Edition
“The very best of the very best and a compelling reason to wear pink”
Special Edition
Main protagonists and interviews
Franco Balmamion, Gianni Motta, Fausto Bertoglio, Italo Zilioli, Gianbatista Baronchelli, Mario Garavoglia, Aldo Gios, Paolo Salvoldelli and many more...
Author biography
Award-winning author Herbie Sykes (“Coppi”; “Maglia Rosa”; “The Race Against the Stasi”; “The Eagle of the Canavese”) marks the centenary with “Giro 100”, his unique – and uniquely personal – evocation of the corsa rosa.
Specification
| Dimensions | 220 x 160mm |
| Pagination | 224 pages on 135gsm Munken Lynx |
| Images and text | 4 colour with photographss |
| Cover | Flexi-Bound, printed (PMS Giro Pink) sewn sections, round spine, H&T bands |
| Endpapers | Printed (PMS Giro Pink) with sealer varnish on 140 gsm white uncoated w/f paper | Published | 2017 by Rapha Editions |
| ISBN | 978-1-912164-14-1 |