There seems to be of a inverse relation between owning a Cinelli and competitive success. In the US anyway.
Apologies for the gross generallization, but people who seem to have the money to buy a Cinelli didn't have the time to train or the physical ability to excel competitively. The big exception that I am aware of is Paul Deem. I believe Paul was a national pursuit or TT champion in the mid 70's and he rode Cinelli SC. For a little while anyway.
Shelia Young won the National and Worlds Sprint Championships in 1973 on a really beat up Cinelli that Mike Walden loaned the family.
Those are the only two american examples. I got started racing in 1973 so maybe some CR listers who were active in the 60's, the time when cinelli seem to take on that special aura, can report on usage in that period.
I always was envious of the Cat 3 and the Cat 4 racers who had the money to buy truly superb machines. I saw enough Cinelli's in those groups to take notice. Those of us in the Junior and the Cat 1-2 categories had to scrape by with mediocre stuff or rely on a patron to provide high mojo value equipment.
Todd Teachout
Hercules, CA