Fausto Coppi, born in 1919, absolutely dominated road racing for several years before and after the Second World War until a scandal surrounding his aldulterous love affair with Giulia Occhini and the death of his younger brother in a high-speed cycling crash began his decline. He died, tragically just 40 years old, in 1960 of malaria.
In the 1952 Tour de France, Coppi was so fast that the race organisers eventually decided to double the prize money for second place because the competing riders had simply given up any hope of beating him and the event was becoming boring. With five Giros d'Italia, five Giros di Lombaria, two Tours de France, one World Championship and a host of other titles including Paris-Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne and speed records to his name, he remains one of the all-time indisputed greats.
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