Stogie break,
note: Fausto Coppi's giant fatty.
note: Fausto Coppi's giant fatty.
This image certainly depicts some of the giants of cycling in 1948.
Take away their jerseys and these gentlemen would look equally comfortable sitting in leather chairs with suits on smoking stogies in an exclusive club.
This star studded bunch are (l to r): Brik Schotte (World Road Champion), Gino Bartali (Tour de France winner), Fiorenzo Magni (Giro winner), unidentified Wilier Triestina rider, Louison Bobet (4th overall TdF), Fausto Coppi (Milan-San Remo/Lombardia) & Ferdi Kubler (TdSuisse, TdRomandie).
Smoking was considered a stress leveler back in the early days of cycling. Little was known of it's harmful side effects. Eddy Merckx said, "In 1968, during the Tour of Italy, the team doctor advised me to smoke a cigarette after my evening meal to help me relax."
Of course, today smoking doesn't deserve the notoriety of the past. Now, looking at this image, it predates another era where smoking was kin to sports success. At least, that's what I will give it!
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