Herbie Sykes

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Herbie Sykes is a British sports journalist and writer. His first book, The Eagle of the Canavese, was published in 2008. A biography of the Italian cyclist Franco Balmamion, it's framed through the story of his victory at the 1962 Giro d'Italia. It was revised and reprinted by Rapha in 2020.

Sykes' second book, Maglia Rosa, is an illustrated history of the Giro d'Italia. The first work of its kind in the English language, it was first published in March 2011 and was the Podiumcafe.com cycling book of the year for 2011. Coppi, a collection of photography supported by testimony from Fausto Coppi's contemporaries, was published in 2012. It was shortlisted in the illustrated book category at the 2013 British Sports Book of the Year awards.

Sykes' fourth book, The Race against the Stasi, was published in September 2014. A biographical study of the defected East German cyclist Dieter Wiedemann, it explores the politicisation of Soviet Bloc sport through the mythical Peace Race. It won the Cycling Book of the Year at the Cross British Sports Book Awards [1] and was nominated in the outstanding general sportswriting category. In addition it was among The Observer sports books of the year. [2]

The Giro 100 was published by Rapha in 2017, and in 2020 Sykes wrote Juve! 100 Years of an Italian Football Dynasty. Published in UK by Yellow Jersey Press, the book examines Italy's most successful sporting institution through the twentieth century vicissitudes of Turin and the Agnelli family. It was a Financial Times Sports Book of the Year.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling road race held in Italy

The Giro d'Italia is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 1909 to increase sales of the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, and the race is still run by a subsidiary of that paper's owner. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1909, except during the two world wars. As the Giro gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened, and the peloton expanded from primarily Italian participation to riders from all over the world. The Giro is a UCI World Tour event, which means that the teams that compete in the race are mostly UCI WorldTeams, with some additional teams invited as 'wild cards'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fausto Coppi</span> Italian cyclist (1919–1960)

Angelo Fausto Coppi was an Italian cyclist, the dominant international cyclist of the years after the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo. He was an all-round racing cyclist: he excelled in both climbing and time trialing, and was also a good sprinter. He won the Giro d'Italia five times, the Tour de France twice, and the World Championship in 1953. Other notable results include winning the Giro di Lombardia five times, the Milan–San Remo three times, as well as wins at Paris–Roubaix and La Flèche Wallonne and setting the hour record (45.798 km) in 1942.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General classification in the Giro d'Italia</span> Most important classification of the Giro dItalia

The general classification in the Giro d'Italia is the most important classification of the Giro d'Italia, which determines who is the overall winner. It is therefore considered more important than secondary classifications as the points classification or the mountains classification.

The 1951 Giro d'Italia was the 34th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started off in Milan on 19 May with a 202 km (125.5 mi) flat stage and concluded back in Milan with a 172 km (106.9 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 10 June. Fourteen teams entered the race, which was won by Italian Fiorenzo Magni of the Ganna team. Second and third respectively were Belgian Rik Van Steenbergen and Swiss rider Ferdinand Kübler.

The 1952 Giro d'Italia was the 35th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started off in Milan on 17 May with a 217 km (134.8 mi) flat stage and concluded back in Milan with a 147 km (91.3 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 8 June. Sixteen teams entered the race, which was won by Italian Fausto Coppi of the Bianchi team. Second and third respectively were Italian Fiorenzo Magni and Swiss rider Ferdinand Kübler.

The 1953 Giro d'Italia was the 36th edition of the Giro d'Italia. The Giro started off in Milan on 12 May with a 263 km (163.4 mi) flat stage and concluded back in Milan with a 220 km (136.7 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 2 June. Sixteen teams entered the race, which was won by Italian Fausto Coppi of the Bianchi team. Second and third respectively were Swiss rider Hugo Koblet and Italian Pasquale Fornara.

The 1982 Giro d'Italia was the 65th running of the Giro. It started in Brescia, on 13 May, with a 16 km (9.9 mi) team time trial and concluded in Turin, on 6 June, with a 42.5 km (26.4 mi) individual time trial. A total of 162 riders from eighteen teams entered the 22-stage race, that was won by Frenchman Bernard Hinault of the Renault–Elf team. The second and third places were taken by Swede Tommy Prim and Italian Silvano Contini, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954 Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling race

The 1954 Giro d'Italia was the 37th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started off in Palermo on 21 May with a 36 km (22.4 mi) team time trial and concluded in Milan with a 222 km (137.9 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 13 June. Fifteen teams entered the race, which was won by Swiss Carlo Clerici of the Welter team. Second and third respectively were Swiss rider Hugo Koblet and Italian Nino Assirelli.

The 1949 Giro d'Italia was the 32nd Giro d'Italia, organized and sponsored by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race began on 21 May in Palermo with a stage that stretched 261 km (162 mi) to Catania, finishing in Monza on 12 June after a 267 km (166 mi) stage and a total distance covered of 4,088 km (2,540 mi). The race was won by Fausto Coppi of the Bianchi team, with fellow Italians Gino Bartali and Giordano Cottur coming in second and third respectively.

The 1948 Giro d'Italia was the 31st edition of the Giro d'Italia, organized and sponsored by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race began on 15 May in Milan with a stage that stretched 190 km (118 mi) to Turin, finishing back in Milan on 6 June after a 231 km (144 mi) stage and a total distance covered of 4,164 km (2,587 mi). The race was won by the Italian rider Fiorenzo Magni of the Wilier Triestina team, with fellow Italians Ezio Cecchi and Giordano Cottur coming in second and third respectively.

The 1947 Giro d'Italia was the 30th edition of the Giro d'Italia, organized and sponsored by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race began on 24 May in Milan with a stage that stretched 190 km (118 mi) to Turin, finishing back in Milan on 15 June after a 278 km (173 mi) stage and a total distance covered of 3,843 km (2,388 mi).

The 1950 Giro d'Italia was the 33rd edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro started in Milan on 24 May with a 225 km (139.8 mi) individual time trial and concluded in Salsomaggiore Terme with a 230 km (142.9 mi) relatively flat mass-start stage on 13 June. Fifteen teams entered the race, which was won by Swiss Hugo Koblet of the Guerra team. Second and third respectively were Italians Gino Bartali and Alfredo Martini.

William Fotheringham is a sports writer specialising in cycling and rugby. As a newspaper journalist, he writes for The Guardian. Fotheringham was a features editor for Cycling Weekly, the features editor of Cycle Sport and co-founder of Procycling magazine. He is a current writer for procycling Magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1946 Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling race

The 1946 Giro d'Italia was the 29th edition of the Giro d'Italia, organized and sponsored by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. The race began on 15 June in Milan with a stage that stretched 185 km (115 mi) to Turin, finishing back in Milan on 7 July after a 176 km (109 mi) stage and a total distance covered of 3,039.5 km (1,889 mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia</span>

The Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia is a secondary classification that is a part of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. In this classification, points are awarded to the leading riders over designated climbs. The climbs are put into different classifications based on difficulty and their position on that day's stage. Bonus points are given to mountain top finishes and to the first riders over the Cima Coppi, traditionally adjudged as the highest point of the entire Giro.

The Giro d'Italia is an annual stage race bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. The race was first organized in 1909 to increase sales of the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport; however it is currently run by RCS Sport. The race has been held annually since its first edition in 1909, except when it was stopped for the two world wars. As the Giro gained prominence and popularity the race was lengthened, and the peloton expanded from primarily Italian participation to riders from all over the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling race

The 2016 Giro d'Italia was the 99th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. The Giro started in Apeldoorn on 6 May with a 9.8 km (6 mi) individual time trial, followed by two other stages in the Netherlands, both between Nijmegen and Arnhem. After a rest day, there were 18 further stages to reach the finish on 29 May. These stages were principally in Italy, although two stages partly took place in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling race

The 2018 Giro d'Italia was the 101st edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tour races. The race started in Jerusalem on 4 May, with a 9.7 km (6 mi) individual time trial followed by two additional stages within Israel. After a rest day, there were 18 further stages in Italy before the tour reached the finish in Rome on 27 May.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Giro d'Italia</span> Cycling race

The 2019 Giro d'Italia was a three-week Grand Tour cycling stage race organised by RCS Sport that took place mainly in Italy, between 11 May and 2 June 2019. The race was the 102nd edition of the Giro d'Italia and was the first Grand Tour of the 2019 cycling season. The race started with an individual time trial in Bologna, and finished with another time-trial in Verona. The race was won by Richard Carapaz, who became the first Ecuadorian rider to win the Giro d'Italia. Italian Vincenzo Nibali finished 2nd, with Slovenian rider Primož Roglič in 3rd place. Carapaz also became the second South American rider to win the Giro, after Nairo Quintana in 2014.

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