Pic of the Day 26th January, 2006
1949 Magni's Simplex Shifters
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Click on pic for much larger image.
Here's a pic showing the second set of shifters used by Fiorenzo Magni (and probably the rest of the Italian B team) during the 1949 TdF. the stocky Italian is on his way to winning stage 10, from San Sebastian to Pau, on a Wilier - La Triestina equipped with Simplex derailleurs. On Magni's wheel - Edouard Fachleitner, in his purple and white jersey of the Sud-Est regional team.
The two Italian teams used quite a variety of derailleurs in the 1949
Tour, with the National Team split between Simplex (Coppi and his
supporting riders) and Cervino (Bartali and his supporting riders). Add
the alternating Simplex and Campagnolo cambio Corsa derailleurs of the
Cadets Italiens, and you have a pretty good collection of parts!
>From "La Gazzetta dello Sport - 200 Momenti Fotografici del 'Tour' 1949"
by Emilio De Martino.
Aldo Ross
Middletown, Ohio