{"id":4340,"date":"2022-09-02T14:40:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-02T14:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vintagefiets.be\/?p=4340"},"modified":"2023-07-25T10:40:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T10:40:09","slug":"de-geschiedenis-van-wilier-triestina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vintagefiets.be\/en\/de-geschiedenis-van-wilier-triestina\/","title":{"rendered":"The history of Wilier Triestina"},"content":{"rendered":"

A vintage racing bike known to all collectors is the Wilier Triestina Ramato with its copper-coloured chrome frame and front fork. A gem that is on many wish lists but unfortunately hard to find. I am lucky enough to have one in my collection.<\/p>\n

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Foundation Wilier Triestina<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Wilier has been founded in 1906 in Bassano del Grappa<\/a>, in the Province of Vicenza by Pietro Dal Molin. First the company was called Ciclomeccanica Dal Molin but soon the name changed to Wilier which is an acronym of W<\/strong> l’I<\/strong>talia Li<\/strong>bera e<\/strong> R<\/strong>edenta which means as much as Long live Italy free and redeemed. The name Triestina was only added in 1945 and is a reference to the city of Trieste.<\/p>\n

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Image from 1948 of the factory<\/p><\/div>\n

But it was only after WWII that Wilier, thanks to Mario, Pietro's son, really threw himself into cycling with the creation of a cycling team to participate in the Giro d'Italia in 1946. This sponsorship continued successfully until 1951, because in 1948 Fiorenzo Magni wins the Giro d'Italia and the Tour of Flanders in 1949 and 1950.
\nWilier immediately becomes known to the general public.<\/p>\n

\"Fiorenzo<\/a>

The Wilier Ramato racing bike from Fiorenzo Magni<\/p><\/div>\n

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Closure between 1951 and 1969<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As many other bicycle manufacturers struggled in the 1950s and 1960s, so did Wilier Triestina. Production drops enormously and the company starts producing mopeds and mopeds, a market that was booming at the time. The final blow, however, is a ship loaded with bicycles to Argentina, for which Wilier never gets his money.<\/p>\n

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Moped of the brand Wilier Triestina<\/p><\/div>\n

This causes Wilier to file for bankruptcy in 1951. Fortunately, in 1969 a lender pops up with the Gastaldello brothers who breathe new life into the bicycle brand.<\/p>\n

From the late 1970s, Wilier again sponsored a professional cycling team and resumed the production of their Ramato, the showpiece of the company that was already on the market in the 1940s.<\/p>\n

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From then on, important competitions were won again, such as the 2000 World Time Trial Championships by Honcar, Davide Rebellin in 2004 with the Amstel Gold Race, Li\u00e8ge Bastogne Li\u00e8ge and the Fl\u00e8che Wallonne, the Tour of Flanders in 2007 and the 2008 Road World Championships by Alessandro Ballan, the Tour of Lombardy by Damiano Cunego in 2007 and 2008, the green jersey of Alessandro Petacchi in the 2010 Tour de France, the overall victory in the 2011 Giro d'Italia by Michele Scarponi to name but a few.<\/p>\n

Most important teams and most famous riders<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The most important teams that Wilier Triestina has sponsored so far are:<\/p>\n