"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Madonna di Ghisallo

Devil, Gustaf, Lotek, help me with this question, please.

There's a patron saint good luck charm that some riders where or wrap round their seat post. I found them online once but lost the link.

Anyone know of what I speak? Is it a Madonna di Ghisallo charm?

Help!

Thanks!

Never mind. I found it. Before I die I will visit that chapel.

I'll be checkin' it in October! :)

Might even be able to time it so I see the Tour of Lombardy.

So, what's the link? The charm? Inquiring minds (and seat posts) want to know!

Gary

So, what's the link? The charm? Inquiring minds (and seat posts) want to know!

Gary

The Madonna was the patron saint of travelers and the biking community in Italy kind of adopted / hijacked the saint to be their own. Lots of people have a charm of the saint on their bike or necklace...

The Madonna de Ghisallo is the church of this patron saint and is located near Lake Como (north of Milan). It's part church and part bicycling museum as it's filled with famous bikes (e.g. bikes used to set the world hour record) and jerseys from numerous champions and races.

My apologies for hijacking the thread but I think the additional information could be useful / informative. Can folks with MDG links please post on this thread. I found one a while back that linked to someone's personal homepage that showed the road up to the church along with some of the bikes and jersey on display inside. Unfortunately, the page is no longer there so my monthly trips to the site to dream have ended... :(

I saw photos taken there, and it's really impressive. Lots of bikes of giro winners, italian champ jerseys etc. Pantanis' yellow jersey, Gianni Bugnos' WC jerseys, Casartelli's Olympic jersey, lots of WC medals, team uniforms.I wish I could see it in person. Now there's supposedly a whole shrine or something dedicated to Pantani.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_del_Ghisallo

Medieval legend says that Count Ghisallo was travelling near the village of Magréglio when he was attacked by highway bandits. Spotting a image of the Virgin Mary in a roadside shrine, he broke away from his attackers and ran to it. There he took refuge, pled for Our Lady's protection - and was miraculously saved from the robbers.

As the story spread, the Madonna del Ghisallo became known as patroness of local travellers. In more recent times, cyclists would often stop to rest and pray at the chapel, which is a local landmark, and is at the top of a steep hill. After World War II, Father Ermelindo Vigano, pastor at the shrine, proposed Ghisallo as the site of an Italian shrine for bicyclists, and she was given as patroness of cyclists on 13 October 1949 by Pope Pius XII. The chapel has become equal part religious shrine, part cycling museum, with artifacts and photos from the sport. There is an eternal flame that burns there in memory of the cyclists of are no longer with us, and services each Christmas Eve and the Feast of All Souls commemorate them.


I drove right by it in a car and DID NOT GO IN !!! ARGHH!! :mad: