Villafranca di Verona, 01 June 2023 – To celebrate the 140th anniversary of the birth of the famous champion Luigi Ganna, the Nicolis Museum presented the rare Ganna bikes in Milan at Palazzo Pirelli, with an exceptional testimonial, Vincenzo Nibali, winner of a de Tour de France and two Giri d’Italia and athlete always loved by enthusiasts.

The President of the Regional Council, Federico Romani, and the sports journalist and writer Stefania Bardelli, author of the book dedicated to Luigi Ganna, “40.405“, which recalls in the title the time record established by Ganna in 1908, honored the cyclist from Varese who was the first to win the Giro d’Italia in 1909.

The Nicolis Museum with the presence of its President, Silvia Nicolis, supported the initiative: “Through the exhibition of unique masterpieces, we want to enhance the timeless charm of the bicycle, the Giro d’Italia and the history of a united country from sport and a great passion: cycling and its champions“.

The historical models presented are two testimonials of the entrepreneurial activity that the champion successfully started in the cycling and motorcycling field: the 1923 Ganna Giro d’Italia bike and the 1938 Ganna racing model.

The Ganna brand, founded in Varese in 1910, is still known today in Italy and abroad, and its history began precisely with the champion Luigi Ganna who won several competitions with bicycles of his construction. With the victory of “La seicento kilometer” in 1912, the rise of the House began, which in just a few years was transformed into an industrial company and is still remembered today.

Also present at this important appointment were: the Vice President of the Regional Council, Giacomo Cosentino, Graziella Marzoli, granddaughter of Luigi Ganna, and Maurizio Tortosa, councilor for the sport of the Municipality of Induno Olona. The journalist Alessandro Brambilla coordinated the press conference.

The emotions, therefore, continue in Villafranca di Verona, where, among others, a unique and irresistible collection of vintage bicycles, which gives the visitor the opportunity to immerse themselves in a historical journey that begins in the 19th century, from the first “Draisina” to the Bianchi bicycle of 1885, to arrive at the models of the great champions: Luigi Ganna, Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi.

The Nicolis heritage is, in fact, of great historical significance and represents an exclusive reality: over 110 bicycles, 200 vintage cars, 100 motorcycles, 500photographic machines, 100 musical instruments, 100 typewriters, aeronautics, over 100 steering wheels of sophisticated single-seaters of Formula 1 and countless works of human ingenuity exhibited according to anthological, historical and stylistic itineraries. A journey through the history of the twentieth century among stories, lifestyles, sports, and myths in different historical periods. From the first petrol engine patented by Enrico Bernardi from Verona to Olivetti’s Letter 22, passing through iconic brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, Lancia, Fiat, Bianchi, and many others.

Silvia Nicolis, President of the Museum, is also vice president of Museimpresa, the national association headed by Confindustria to enhance the heritage of Italian industrial history. She is also a member of the Board of the Verona Chamber of Commerce responsible for Tourism and a member of the National Confindustria Culture Technical Group.

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Note to the editor

GANNA GIRO D’ITALIA, 1923, RACING BICYCLE

• Mod. Giro d’Italia 1923 with long frame and racing fork
• Double pinion / fixed freewheel
• Oilers on the bottom bracket and hubs
• Removable racing mudguards and Reale brand racing wooden rims with reinforcing rib
• Custom GANNA handlebar, FNI saddle, and BOWDEN band brakes
• GANNA crankset for uphill racing, with integrated GANNA crank arms

GANNA, 1938, RACING BICYCLE

• New official Ganna “grey” livery (new color since 1932)
• SUPER CHAMPION three-speed gearbox with wire control and chain tensioner
• GANNA handlebar and UNIVERSAL steel brakes
• Oiler on transmission and hubs
• DAM wooden rims and handcrafted saddle

STEFANIA BARDELLI, “40.450”, SUNRISE MEDIA

Sports journalist in love with cycling and former tennis player Stefania Bardelli has been the face of the Milan Channel for several seasons. After a few months on Sky Sport 24, she became a Mediaset correspondent for the Mattino 5 broadcast. There she discovered politics, and after a few years, she moved from Milan to Rome to fill the role of spokesperson for the Ministry of Economic Development and the Chamber of Deputies. “40,405” is his first book, dedicated to the Varese cycling champion Luigi Ganna, uncle of his grandfather Umberto Gioia. 40.405 kilometers were covered in one hour by the man of records, Luigi Ganna, who set his record in 1908 on the Porta Ticinese Velodrome.

Luigi Ganna was a great protagonist of epic cycling, one of the undisputed champions of the early 1900s. Born in Induno Olona, ​​in the province of Varese, on the first day of December 1883, he began working as a bricklayer in Milan as a young man but soon understood that his path would have been another. Thanks to the kilometers traveled by bike to go to work, he train his legs to participate in the first races. It starts from festivals, then arrives at regional competitions to challenge the strongest.
The first victory at the Valle Olona Cup comes, and Luison takes flight. In his palmares, he had countless victories, among which the Milan-Sanremo and the first Giro d’Italia stand out.

MUSEO NICOLIS

Among the most exciting and evocative private exhibitions on the international scene, the Museo Nicolis in Verona tells the history of 20th-century technology and design. The recognition of excellence derives today from the awarding of the most coveted and prestigious award in the world of classic cars: Museum of the Year at The Historic Motoring Awards in London and the Ruoteclassiche “Best in Classic – Museum of the Year”, the grand gala of the most coveted historic motoring in the motoring scene. Further evidence of the value of its collections is sanctioned with the entry of Villafranca into the Città dei Motori circuit, the network that unites the 27 Italian municipalities, which offer the best of our country in this field together with international brands such as Pagani, Lamborghini, Ferrari, with which the Museum actively collaborates.

The birth of the Museum is due to the great passion of Luciano Nicolis. The story of one life found its place in an exhibition space of 6000 square meters in 2000, the year of its inauguration. His masterpieces have been divided into ten collections to build an organic, professionally qualified, structured itinerary to satisfy the most demanding visitor. A journey through the history of the twentieth century among stories, lifestyles, sports, and myths in different historical periods. The opportunity to get to know our treasures that make up the ten prestigious collections: special hours to recharge your batteries, ready to return to your daily tasks with a unique experience in your baggage. Impossible not to be surprised and fascinated by objects and works of art that man’s ingenuity has been able to create.

It is no coincidence that the Nicolis Museum represents a “unique” of its kind and is indicated as emblematic of modern business culture. The concepts of “collection and reuse” that have guided the growth of the Lamacart Group are the same ones that fueled Luciano’s passion for collecting, allowing him to perceive the value of refined products that are currently forgotten and considered worthless. The talent of its Founder only partially explains the success of the Nicolis Museum; the basis of his affirmation is the entrepreneurial management of the structure entrusted to Silvia Nicolis, president of the Museum and daughter of Luciano, who has focused on the promotion of culture, tourism and the enhancement of the territory, fully expressing her entrepreneurial vocation. Silvia Nicolis is vice president of Museimpresa, the association headed by Assolombarda and Confindustria to enhance the heritage of Italian industrial history. He is also a member of the Board of the Verona Chamber of Commerce responsible for Tourism and a member ofthe National Confindustria Culture Technical Group.

Where:                Nicolis Museum | Villafranca of Verona | Viale Postumia, 71
When:                 From Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00 continuously. Closed on Mondays.
Contacts:            info@museonicolis.com tel +39 045 6303289 – 6304959 fax +39 045 7979493
Rates:                  FULL €14 | REDUCED € 12 | CHILDREN 6-10 YEARS €6 | 0-5 YEARS FREE Link to Price list