Vasco Bergamaschi, a forgotten pink jersey (or almost)
There is a history hidden, almost forgotten, tied to an Italian cyclist. A winner since he won the pink race in 1935. His name was Vasco Bergamaschi, but for everyone he was "Singapore". Crushed eyes and face from the Asian features, for this the exotic nickname. But he was also known as Fornaio Volante (the Flying Baker), because for a living he was the apprentice for a bakery near Mantua. Learco Guerra discovered him (the Human Locomotive) and that friendship brought him to the Olympus of cycling. He became the gregario of reference of the "Locomotiva", a trusted squire who spoke the same language (Mantuan dialect) of the captain.
In the late spring of 1935, however, something incredible happened. First stage of the Giro from Milan to Cremona. Bergamaschi launches the sprint for Guerra, the champion is not in his day and Singapore wins and wears the pink jersey. He was almost guilty on the podium for not having waited for his captain/friend. Bergamaschi then lost the title of leader for five days, before a stage that became a legend. From Civitanova to L'Aquila with an uphill finish. Out of the group came a young boy that no one knew, Gino Bartali. He outdistanced everyone, "Ginettaccio". Bergamaschi got the go-ahead from Guerra, who was in crisis. Vasco chased Bartali and at the end of the stage could once again wear the pink jersey, which he would never let go until the end, increasing his advantage over his rivals in the very long 317-kilometer Rome-Florence race. Guerra escorted him as a luxury domestique. At that time, as today, the money prizes for the winners were divided among the members of the team and therefore the captain willingly accepted to offer his help.
That 1935 Giro closed in Milan on June 9, with Bergamaschi triumphant in front of Martano (more than 3 minutes behind) and Olmo (6 minutes behind). It was his great feat, the dream of a lifetime. In the rest of the career he returned in the retrovie, imposing himself however in the 13th stage of the Tour de France to Nimes (always in the season of gold 1935).
from the right Bergamaschi and Guerra (with the tricolore of Italian champion) 1935
A few years later he became sports director and crossed again the path of Learco Guerra. The Locomotive had moved to the flagship and from friend became rival. However, the two continued to love each other, so much so that one day Guerra confided to the legendary race director Vincenzo Torriani: "I will never forget the emotions of the Giro won in 1934, but Bergamaschi's was the most satisfying for me". In 1934 Guerra won the Giro also thanks to Bergamaschi's sacrifice. In a descent he ended up against a tree to avoid an accident to Learco. He retired with a broken collarbone, but he still went to Milan to celebrate his friend's triumph. He did so at his own expense, because the team (Maino) did not reimburse him for the train ticket.
Vasco Bergamaschi died in Sermide in 1979 at the age of 70. Few people (unfortunately) remember his legendary figure. That 1935 Giro became a sort of milestone in cycling. Until that moment it was the sport of the adventurers, of the athletes able to bear an almost superhuman effort. It was the battles between the great passisti (Binda and Guerra) that held court. Only people of their class and physical strength could endure long stages with heavy vehicles and on rough roads. After 1935, cycling changed. Two crystalline stars came to light (Bartali first, Coppi later) who radically changed the way of interpreting multi-day races, inflaming the public on the climbs. Bergamaschi remains in history as the last winner of the early Giro.
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