Faces from the peloton: Luigi Malabrocca

Luigi Malabrocca is most remembered today for his unorthodox quest to secure the maglia nera—the last-place jersey of the Giro d'Italia. However, during his professional career from 1945 to 1958, Malabrocca also achieved noteworthy successes.

Primarily known as a domestique for Fausto Coppi, Malabrocca was a skilled cyclist in his own right. He claimed two Italian cyclocross championships (1951 and 1953) and won several one-day races, including Paris-Nantes in 1947 and Coppa Uno Agustoni in 1948. In 1949, he also triumphed in a stage race in Yugoslavia.

Malabrocca’s determination to claim the maglia nera—a unique prize awarded to the rider finishing last in the general classification—was not due to a lack of talent. While he was a capable rider, his chances of victory in the Giro’s grueling stages were limited. His competitors for the maglia nera were typically riders struggling due to injury, late selection, or lack of preparation for the tour’s demands.

In contrast, Malabrocca, often in decent form, resorted to creative tactics like hiding in barns, bars, or behind hedges, sometimes even puncturing his own tires to avoid finishing ahead of the true stragglers.

Malabrocca ultimately secured the maglia nera twice, in 1946 and 1947. After retiring, he transitioned to the quieter life of a former cyclist, opening a bike shop, later working as a fisherman, and eventually running a restaurant.