Olympia Freccia Tour de France, racing bicycle, 1935, Italy
With this 1935 special model the old company from Milan really wanted to mark an epoch. The frame finishing, the famous “chromed arrows”, still remind this today.
With one of these bicycles, the Tuscan ace, Raffaele Di Paco, also known as the Rodolfo Valentino of cycling, won many races. This tall athlete, with extraordinary force, managed to accomplish great tasks while not disdaining “mundane” life: he was the damnation of the “team managers” for which he raced. Some say the “fiercest part” of his supporters, that was always watching him racing, was made up of women, lucky him.
“Olympia: Milan, then Piove di Sacco (Padua).
Established in 1893 by Carlo Borghi (it’s the second oldest company after Bianchi). In 1959 Antonio and Pasquale Fontana, from Piove di Sacco, bought the company while already owning the Winter, Willes and San Remo brands. Olympia became the flagship brand. Later the sons Vittorio and Paolo will lead the company.
The most important models: Modello Competizione (built by Augusto Daniele), Modello Special Piuma. Finished in a particular pearly paint.
Note: In the 70s the metal brand was replaced with a decal. Some of the racing cyclist that raced with Olympia: Corlaita, Tano Belloni, Di Paco, Giovanni Valetti, Vito Ortelli.”
Source: www.giroditaliadepoca.eu
Technical notes:
- Mark 1 SIMPLEX pantograph gearbox
- OLYMPIA saddle
- OLYMPIA oiled hubs
- OLYMPIA wing nuts
- Chain oiler underneath the seat
- OLYMPIA crankset and pedals
- Wooden rims
- FIDES brakes
- Free wheel + fixed pinion on the other side
