Italian
Franco Testa, 87, a cyclist from Mogliano, has passed away, a gold medalist at the 1960 Olympics and much more
Mogliano Veneto – Franco Testa was born on my same day, February 7th. We laughed about it together, admitting to be tough individuals, with a strong desire for freedom yet generous and always available to everyone. https://ilnuovoterraglio.it/giro-ditalia-e-stata-una-volata-fantastica-parola-di-campione-olimpionico/
The sad news was announced by Mayor Davide Bortolato, who was able to express all the sadness for a loss that moves the entire City.
“Olympic champion, kind man, shining example of passion and humanity: it was him who ignited in me the love for cycling. Franco will remain forever in the hearts of the people of Mogliano and in the soul of our city. Now you can fly on the track of the sky. Goodbye Franco,” Bortolato wrote in a post.
Life
Franco Testa was an amateur with Uc Trevigiani, a former track cyclist and road cyclist. A professional from 1965 to 1967, he won the gold medal at the XVII Olympics in Rome in the team pursuit. In 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics, he was Olympic runner-up in the same specialty.
For three consecutive years he was the Italian pursuit champion, won the gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in ’59 in Beirut and in ’63 in Naples, but reached the peak of his brilliant career with the gold medal he won in Rome in 1960 during the Olympics together with Vallotto, Arienti, and Vigna. Four years later in 1964 in Tokyo, he won the silver medal with Mantovani, Rancati, and Roncaglia.
Honors
From various Presidents of the Italian Republic, he was awarded different honorary titles for sporting merits, one for each important milestone reached: Knight first, then Commander, and finally Grand Officer of the Republic.
In 2017, fifty years after Franco Testa stopped cycling, a book dedicated to him was written by Lucio Carraro. It includes all the stages of his triumphs during a special celebration organized by the Municipality of Mogliano.
Several political and sports authorities have wanted to offer their prestigious fellow citizen, Olympic champion Franco Testa, the greyhound of cycling, their testimony of esteem and appreciation for his numerous and prestigious achievements during his sports career.
“I cried a lot”
It was the summer of 2021 and Franco Testa was following, from his home in Mogliano, the Tokyo Cycling Olympics in Japan.
“I really cried a lot” he had confessed on August 4, 2021 when the Italian team composed of Simone Consonni, Filippo Ganna, Jonathan Milan, and Francesco Lamon prevailed over the Danish opponents, also setting a new world record with a time of 3’42”032, improving the record set just the day before in the race against New Zealand.
It was the first time, since that memorable Rome 1960, that an Italian team won the Olympic gold in the team pursuit specialty of track cycling.
Franco Testa, born in 1938, followed all the cycling races from his home, while his wife was in the mountains and he could get emotional without any restraint!
