But the real father of Mugello cycling is undoubtedly Gastone Nencini: nicknamed ‘Mystery’ – the origin of this nickname is unknown – or the ‘Lion of Mugello’. It was born in 1930 in Barberino di Mugello, in what used to be the village of Bilancino – which no longer exists because the artificial lake of the same name has taken its place. He was the winner of the Giro d’Italia in 1957 at a record average (37.486 km / h) which had remained undefeated for twenty-six years, and of the Tour de France three years later. In 1957 he came close to the great feat of winning both the Giro and the Tour in the same year.
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