For Vittorio adorni remember Hercules Baldini It's not easy. Because the Emilian champion shared many adventures from a distant cycling era now shrouded in legend. Few more than the 1968 Imola world champion have experienced Baldini in so many guisesHe shared part of Ercole's road career as a competitor, then reunited with him as a sports director, and then pursued his passion for cycling in various capacities as a commentator. Few knew him as well as he did. And now that Ercole has left us, Vittorio's memory is a tribute we felt we wanted to pay him.
Adorni emphasizes one principle: «Baldini had a notable influence on the history of Italian cycling because he arrived immediately after the epic of Coppi and BartaliWith his physique, no one thought he could win what he did, but instead he was able to unleash an unprecedented amount of power onto the pedals."
You ran together…
I started as a pro in '61 when he was already a star. In 1963 we met again at Cynar and the following year at Salvarani, when he won the world track pursuit title, the second of his career. On November 4th he called me to share with him the experience of the Baracchi Trophy, we finished second and with that result he ended his career. But not our partnership.
Why?
We met again in 1967 at Salamini-Luxor TV. I was a rider and he was the sports director. It was a very important year: Ercole was not a sports director like the others, he never shouted, he was not one of the "bad" onesHe let a lot of people do what they wanted, but he always followed what he thought carefully, he always had the right advice.
Which company best represents him?
It's not easy to identify one, even if in my opinion the '56 Hour record was something exceptional. The Vigorelli stadium in Milan was packed for the occasion, and he, who was still an amateur, snatched the record from Jacques Anquetil, not just anyone… Then, at the end of the season, he also won Olympic gold in Melbourne on a course that wasn't exactly his forte. But that was Baldini's trademark: his ability to subvert cycling's unwritten rules and win races you'd never have expected from him.
Can he be considered a rouleur?
One of the greatest, but with the physique he had he certainly couldn't stand out on the climbs, and yet He managed to win the Giro d'Italia in 1958, not only because he took full advantage of the two time trials in Comerio and Viareggio, but he also gave Charly Gaul the boot on the climbs, even in the Dolomite stage.He had been third the year before, so it wasn't a bolt from the blue, but with his physique it was still an epic feat.
Many accused him of being too fat to be a professional…
He wasn't fat, but he was sturdy, and that translated into great power on the pedals. I remember one day, as a young man, seeing him with a friend of mine in the window of a restaurant. I was amazed by how much he ate. Then I realized that to get that “machine” up to speed, it needed to eat something more than us.
What was his strength then?
It wasn't just his power on the pedals, which was certainly uncommon, but also his racing style, which for that time was something completely new, based more on power and calculated daring. The example was at Reims in the 58 World Championships: he immediately broke away. Nencini with bobet e Voorting, it seemed like the decisive move because at the home of the favorite Belgium there were Van Steenbergen e Van Looy who were at war. He broke away from the pack on the second of 14 scheduled laps and joined the trio, then crushed Bobet and won by over two minutes. He was the first and the only one to win an Olympic and world title and a major Giro.
Have you stayed in touch over time?
Not as we would have liked. Baldini later had a great managerial career, including as president of the League. His value in Italian cycling has perhaps been underestimated because he hasn't won a lot, but in terms of the quality of his victories, very few are able to keep up with him.What remains in my heart is his approach as a sporting director, especially with the younger players, the classic father-son relationship with him, who tried to pass on his vast experience. He was a champion even outside of competition.
