Mario Cipollini has been heralded as one of the greatest road cyclists of all time. He certainly was a showman. He retired from professional racing in 2005 with a minor return in 2008. He was definitely one of the most colorful men in the peloton of his generation, and in addition to his reputation as a womanizer, he was also had a very bold sense of fashion. He made lots of money modelling for many of the Italian fashion houses in the late 90s and early Noughts.
I remember Cipollini because of his amazing cycling fashion. It seemed every year he would bring out a new full-body skinsuit for the Prologue of the Giro d'Italia and I would anxiously wait to find out what it was.
One year he was a zebra. Another year he was white adorned with gold. One year was particularly cool, the "muscle suit".
It appears there is a manufacturer in Poland of a similar suit now, very very cool.
If you're wondering where some of those magnificent skinsuits went, here's an idea:
There are still showmen in the peloton today, but none as garish and distinctively Italian as Cipo.
I know, right? As much as I know a lot of the pro cyclists like to showboat (and many secretly like to wear spandex...a lot), Cipo is in a class of his own!
2 comments:
He wears them with such confidence...that makes it even sexier :)
I know, right? As much as I know a lot of the pro cyclists like to showboat (and many secretly like to wear spandex...a lot), Cipo is in a class of his own!
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