As announced Wednesday, the Vacansoleil DCM team yesterday unveiled a redesigned jersey intended to commemorate Fausto Coppi’s five victories in the Giro di Lombardia. Featuring the distinctive celeste colour worn by Coppi during his time with the Bianchi team, the jersey will be worn by Vacansoleil-DCM’s eight riders in tomorrow’s edition of the race.
Thomas De Gendt, Stefan Denifl, Johnny Hoogerland, Björn Leukemans, Marco Marcato, Tomasz Marczynski, Mirko Selvaggi and Rafael Valls will each sport the kit as they seek to achieve the best possible result in the final Classic of the season.
Coppi won the race a record five times between 1946 and 1954, clocking up each of those successes with the famous Bianchi team.
Vacansoleil DCM’s bike supplier was a big part of yesterday’s presentation, which took place in its new offices in Bergamo. Present were Marcato and Leukemans, as well as the former Bianchi rider and three time Giro d’Italia winner Felice Gimondi.
The Italian was guest of honour and will celebrate his seventieth birthday tomorrow, 39 years after he took the second of his two wins in the Giro di Lombardia.
One of the new jerseys will be presented today to the famous chapel and museum of Madonna del Ghisallo. Michele Acquarone and Mauro Vegni of RCS Sport, the company which organises the Giro d’Italia and Il Lombardi, will also receive one.