Quotebook

Gino Bartali (July 18, 1914-May 5, 2000), nicknamed Gino the Pious and (in Italy) Ginettaccio, was a champion road cyclist.  He was the most renowned Italian cyclist before World War II, having won the Giro d' Italia twice (1936, 1937) and the Tour de France in 1938.  After the war he added two other victories in both events: the Giro d' Italia in 1946 and the Tour de France in 1948.  His second and last Tour de France victory in 1948 gave him the largest gap between victories in the famous race.

In September 2013, 13 years after his death, Bartali was recognized as a "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem for his efforts to aid Jews during World War II (Source: Wikipedia).  These heroic exploits are chronicled in the book: "Road to Valor: A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation", by Aili McConnon and Andres McConnon.

Bartali's quote is appropriate for our times: "Good is something you do, not something you talk about.  Some medals are pinned to your soul, not to your jacket".