Giannetto Cimurri

When it comes to cycling and a passion for sport, one cannot help but think of Giannetto Cimurri (1905-2002), one of the most extraordinary sporting Reggio Emilia-born figures.
His story is an extraordinary journey through his passion for cycling and his love for his city.

Born and raised in the city, Cimurri became an icon for the region and for Italian sport as a whole, standing beside the world’s greatest cycling champions.

After a short attempt at cycling in his youth - cut short by a disastrous crash in San Maurizio, a district of Reggio Emilia - Cimurri decided to dedicate himself to others by putting his ‘massage skills’ to use, then he began years of working with the greatest athletes.

Affectionately known as ‘Manosanta’, Giannetto Cimurri combined technical skill with a human touch to help legendary cyclists such as Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, Eddy Merckx and Francesco Moser overcome fatigue and muscle pain during the most demanding moments of their careers.
He served as masseur for the Italian national cycling team for 34 years, supporting the athletes at 8 Olympic Games, 74 World Championships, 40 Giro d’Italia races and 11 Tour de France races - a track record that makes him a real ambassador for Reggio Emilia’s sporting heritage across the globe.

His sporting career is also linked with the history of Reggio Emilia: in 1930 he founded the Velo Club Reggio, while in 1933 he opened a sports shop that soon became a hub for athletes and enthusiasts.

Cimurri is not only a professional beloved by champions, but also a promoter of local initiatives: in 1951 he established the Premio Disciplina, an annual award for promising young cyclists in the region, and in the 1980s he organised the AssoMondiale, bringing together active Italian cycling champions in Reggio Emilia.

His honours are too numerous to count: Knight of the Republic for sporting merit (1965), the Cross of the Order of Malta (1949) and the Golden Star for sporting merit (1988) bear witness to his significance and the prestige in which the community holds him.

The city itself bears tangible witness to its link with Cimurri.
In 2001, when the Giro d’Italia stopped in Reggio Emilia, the ‘Giannetto Cimurri’ Cycling Training Track was inaugurated in the Campovolo area: a modern facility dedicated to young cyclists wishing to take up the sport safely.

His passion for cycling also led him to collect over 130 historic bicycles, telling the story of the sport through every frame and pedal.
A selection of these bikes - as well as pink and yellow jerseys, previously unseen photographs and historic posters from world championships - is on display in public exhibitions at Credem’s headquarters in Via Emilia San Pietro, including the exhibition “Giannetto Cimurri. The Masseur and the Bikes of His Champions”, which attracts anyone with a love of sporting history.