Long Reads

The first mountain stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia finishes on top of a mountain with a strange name. Chris Sidwells takes a look at its history

Ercole Baldini was the brightest star of his generation you probably never heard of. He was brilliant at his peak 60 years ago this year, but he shone all too briefly. 

In the 1950s a bird-like climber fluttered up mountains as if on wings. They called him the ‘Angel of the Mountains’ and he won the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia. His name is Charly Gaul.