Cycling great Fiorenzo Magni dies at 91

FLORENCE, ITALY – One of Italian cycling’s all-time greats, Fiorenzo Magni, died Friday aged 91. Nicknamed the Lion of Flanders, Magnia was the ‘third man’ of Italian cycling’s heroic era, vying with Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali.

A Tuscan like Bartali, Magni won three Giro d’Italia races, the world’s second-greatest cycling tour after the Tour de France, in 1948, 1951 and 1955.

He also came second in 1956, at the age of 36.

He was runner-up in the world road race championships in 1951. After retiring he became a cycling official and managed the Italian cycling team for several years.