Maglia nera

Maglia Nera
Award details
Sport Road Cycling
Competition Giro d'Italia
Given for Last overall
English name Black jersey
Local name Maglia Nera (Italian)
History
First award 1946
Editions 6
Final award 1951
First winner  Luigi Malabrocca (ITA)
Most wins

 Luigi Malabrocca (ITA)

(2 wins)
Most recent  Giovanni Pinarello (ITA)

The Maglia Nera was a black jersey awarded as a symbolic prize in cycling competition at the Giro d'Italia, given to the last man to finish the race. It was allocated between 1946 and 1951.[1]

There was real competition to win this particular jersey. Especially noted are the struggles between Sante Carollo and Luigi Malabrocca, to see who could waste the most time. Each tried to lose more time than the other by hiding in bars, barns, and behind hedges, or even by puncturing their own wheels. In 1948 the honor was awarded to the Tuscan Aldo Bini, who according to some journalists and fans of the time, stubbornly continued the race until the end, despite a broken right hand suffered in a mass crash, and the suffering that especially in the mountain stages forced him to get off the bike and push it uphill. The special ability of the black jersey was, in addition to not being "discovered", to reach the finish directly within the maximum time.[1]

The term "maglia nera" was later used in other contexts to indicate the bottom club in a league, often giving it a negative connotation.

In 2008 a similar "black number" was introduced, won by Markus Eichler of Team Milram.

Winners

Year Rider Team Time
1946  Luigi Malabrocca (ITA) Milan-Gazzetta 69h 41' 54"
1947  Luigi Malabrocca (ITA) Welter 121h 47' 27"
1948  Aldo Bini (ITA) Benotto 128h 59' 43"
1949  Sante Carollo (ITA) Wilier Triestina 135h 22' 57"
1950  Mario Gestri (ITA) Bartali 122h 28' 37"
1951  Giovanni Pinarello (ITA) Bottecchia 124h 37' 48"

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Giro, la Maglia nera diventa Numero nero - Gazzetta dello Sport". Gazzetta.it. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
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