Luigi Ganna was an Italian cyclist who made history by becoming the first winner of the Giro d’Italia in 1909.
He was known for his endurance and determination, qualities that helped him win the inaugural Giro d’Italia, which was a grueling 2,448 km race over eight stages. Ganna won the race in 89 hours, 48 minutes, and 14 seconds, riding for the Atala team.
Before becoming a cyclist, Ganna worked as a manual laborer, often riding long distances by bicycle just to reach construction sites. In the early 1900s, it wasn’t unusual for poor workers like Ganna to travel 60–100 km or more per day on rough roads, often before and after a full day of physically demanding labor. This daily routine built a foundation of exceptional physical conditioning and mental resilience—two qualities that are essential in endurance cycling.
This gritty background earned him deep respect. After winning the 1909 Giro d’Italia, Ganna famously said in dialect:
Me brüsa tanto el cü.
(“My backside is really burning”), showing his working-class humor and humility even in victory.
Beyond his Giro win, Ganna was a versatile rider, excelling in both road and track events, and later became a bicycle manufacturer.