New musical portrays the life of Gino Bartali, who proved himself a hero of Italian cycling in the 30s and 40s and of the Italian Resistance in wartime When he died in 2000, Italy grieved for one of its most beloved sporting heroes, the cyclist who had won his home race, the Giro d’Italia three times and the biggest of them all, the Tour de France twice, both either side of World War II. But stories soon emerged of a double life, one that the religious and unassuming native of Tuscany had kept quiet for so long. During the war, Gino Bartali had repeatedly risked his life to save Jews from the Nazis. That extraordinary tale forms the backbone of the new musical, Glory Ride, which recounts a life of quiet bravery and public acclaim, each feeding off the other. Were not Bartali courageous, his resolve stiffened by deeply held religious belief and the support of the Florentine church, he would not have been able to use his celebrity to broker a deal that allowed him free movement to train ...
