Alfredo Binda

Who was Alfredo Binda?

Alfredo Binda was an Italian cyclist of the 1920s and 1930s, later trainer of Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. Along with Giovanni Brunero and Carlo Galetti, Binda was among the first multiple Giro d'Italia champions, securing five victories between 1925 and 1933 that redefined the way stage races were ridden. Handsome, rugged and talented, Alfredo Binda was undoubtedly the first superstar of the Giro d'Italia. A popular rider, Binda essentially became the archetypal modern stage racer way before his time. The legacy he left cycling with was his ability to combine the strength of a one-day Classics rider with an incredible climbing prowess.

Three road world championship titles, five Giro wins, two Milan – San Remo crowns and four Giro di Lombardia victories all indicate the immense capabilities Binda possessed. His record of overall Giro titles wasn't equalled until another legendary Italian rider, Fausto Coppi, took his fifth title in 1953, and it has never been surpassed.

Although born in Cittiglio near Varese, Binda grew up in Nice, in southern France. Learning to become a plasterer, Binda could often be found at the cycling track.