Founding of Bianchi
Bianchi are the oldest continuous bicycle manufacturer still in existence, having been founded in 1885 by Eduardo Bianchi, in a small shop at 7 Via Nirone, Milan (a range of Bianchi bikes is now named after this address).

14 Years later, Bianchi scored their first major victory as Giovanni Tommasello won the Grand Prix de Paris sprint competition. This set Bianchi onto an illustrious path of victories and successes. Around this time Bianchi were producing around 45,000 bicycles a year, along with lower numbers of cars and motorbikes!

Bianchi sponsored Italian great Costante Girardengo in 1935, although he was past his best at this stage in his career the sponsorship helped boost sales to 70,000 a year. But it was to be in the post war period that Bianchi would become immortalised in the world of cycling, sponsoring the legendary Fausto Coppi.

Sponsoring Coppi
Bianchi began sponsoring Coppi (pictured above) in 1941, but it was after the war that racing began in earnest again and as Coppi’s reputation and list of achievements grew, so too did Bianchi’s. Amongst his many victories was the Giro and Tour double in 1948, which he then repeated in 1952, and winning the world championships in 1953, putting Bianchi at the forefront of the world’s greatest races.

Post Coppi
After Coppi’s retirement Bianchi continued to be associated with some of the biggest names in cycling, with the likes of Felice Gimondi (who now has an ambassadorial role for Bianchi), Moreno Argentin, Mario Cipollini and Marco Pantani all riding Bianchi’s at various times. Indeed it was the late Pantani who became most heavily identified rider with Bianchi of recent times, repeating Coppi’s Giro / Tour double in 1998.

Bianchi also stepped in as primary sponsor of a pro team when the French sponsor Coast went bankrupt, leaving a team including Jan Ulrich shorn of a sponsor. This occurred just before the 2003 Tour, which was to be Ullrich’s last great hurrah, running Armstrong close for victory, clad in a Bianchi jersey, aboard a Bianchi bike.

Celeste
Celeste: like marmite, people either love it or hate it. Celeste is the turquoise colour that has become synonymous with Bianchi bikes. Not all Bianchi’s are celeste in colour, but in any given year you can always find a couple of models within the range that carries the celeste colour. Owning a Bianchi in Celeste is a bit like owning a Ferrari in red.

Today
For a company who have won 12 Giro d’Italia’s and 3 Tour De France, it is sad that they are not at the forefront of the peleton, only sponsoring second division team Ceramica Flaminia. However the bike range remains mightily impressive.