1925 TDF Ottavio Bottecchia on the Aubisque
OTTAVIO BOTTECCHIA leads Bartolomeo Aymo and Francis Pélissier up the Aubisque.
Stage 8: Wednesday, July 1, Bayonne - Luchon, 326 km with major ascents: Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde
Ottavio Bottecchia (1894-1927) was the first Italian cyclist to win the Tour de France. With 34 yellow jerseys, Bottecchia stands on a shared 9th place.
MAJOR VICTORIES
1923: Highest placed independent rider in the Giro d'Italia, stage one of the Tour de France (finished second overall)
1924: Tour de France with four stage victories, Giro della Provicia Milano (teamed with Costante Girardengo)
1925: Tour de France with four stage victories, Giro della Procincia Milano (teamed with Costante Girardengo), Buenos Aires 6-Day
1926: Stage two of Vuelta al Pais Vasco (finished second overall)
MYSTERIOUS DEATH...
Ottavio Bottecchia was found murdered on June 3, 1927. His skull was broken, but his bike was a short distance away, undamaged. There are many theories about his death, but no strong evidence points reliably to any explanation.
As said, in June 1927 he was found on the side of the road with a severe skull base fracture. His bike was not damaged and stood neatly against a tree. Although Bottecchia could be quickly taken to hospital, he died a few days later at the age of 32.
A wine farmer later confessed on his death bed that he died after he had thrown a sharp stone to Bottecchia when he had caught the cyclist stealing grapes. When he saw who it was he got scared and he put him aside the road...
Skeptics indicate that in June the grapes are not yet ripe and it is also not clever for a cyclist to eat unripe grapes.
An Italian who moved to New York also was also accused of killing the cyclist. He should be commissioned by the mafia.
Finally, the priest who had assisted Bottecchia in his last hours, told in 1973 - again on his death bed - that Bottecchia, who did not hide his socialist sympathies in the Italy from Mussolini, was killed by fascists who were jealous of his successes.
more see
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottavio_Bottecchia
1925 TDF Ottavio Bottecchia on the Aubisque
OTTAVIO BOTTECCHIA leads Bartolomeo Aymo and Francis Pélissier up the Aubisque.
Stage 8: Wednesday, July 1, Bayonne - Luchon, 326 km with major ascents: Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde
Ottavio Bottecchia (1894-1927) was the first Italian cyclist to win the Tour de France. With 34 yellow jerseys, Bottecchia stands on a shared 9th place.
MAJOR VICTORIES
1923: Highest placed independent rider in the Giro d'Italia, stage one of the Tour de France (finished second overall)
1924: Tour de France with four stage victories, Giro della Provicia Milano (teamed with Costante Girardengo)
1925: Tour de France with four stage victories, Giro della Procincia Milano (teamed with Costante Girardengo), Buenos Aires 6-Day
1926: Stage two of Vuelta al Pais Vasco (finished second overall)
MYSTERIOUS DEATH...
Ottavio Bottecchia was found murdered on June 3, 1927. His skull was broken, but his bike was a short distance away, undamaged. There are many theories about his death, but no strong evidence points reliably to any explanation.
As said, in June 1927 he was found on the side of the road with a severe skull base fracture. His bike was not damaged and stood neatly against a tree. Although Bottecchia could be quickly taken to hospital, he died a few days later at the age of 32.
A wine farmer later confessed on his death bed that he died after he had thrown a sharp stone to Bottecchia when he had caught the cyclist stealing grapes. When he saw who it was he got scared and he put him aside the road...
Skeptics indicate that in June the grapes are not yet ripe and it is also not clever for a cyclist to eat unripe grapes.
An Italian who moved to New York also was also accused of killing the cyclist. He should be commissioned by the mafia.
Finally, the priest who had assisted Bottecchia in his last hours, told in 1973 - again on his death bed - that Bottecchia, who did not hide his socialist sympathies in the Italy from Mussolini, was killed by fascists who were jealous of his successes.
more see
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottavio_Bottecchia