Our Patron Saint for Cycling...

Madonna del Ghisallo

Also known as:

Our Lady of Ghisallo; Madonna of Ghisallo

Medieval legend says Count Ghisallo was travelling near the village of Magréglio when he was attacked by highway bandits. Spotting a image of the Virgin Mary in a roadside shrine, he broke away from his attackers and ran to it. There he took refuge, pled for our lady's protection - and was miraculously saved from the robbers.

As the story spread, the Madonna del Ghisallo became known as patroness of local travellers. In more recent times, cyclist would often stop to rest and pray at the chapel, which is a local landmark, and is at the top of a steep hill. After World War II, Father Ermelindo Vigano, pastor at the shrine, proposed Ghisallo as the site of an Italian shrine for bicyclist, and she was given as patroness of cyclist on Oct. 13th 1949 by Pope Pius XII. The chapel has become equal part religious shrine, part cycling museum, with artifacts and photos from the sport. One particularly notable artifact is the crumpled bicycle that Fabio Casartelli, a native of the region, rode on the day he died in a crash in the Tour de France. Even if you're not catholic, do enter the little church (free entrance) : it's also a cycling museum. It's up to you saying a prayer before starting the visit as a sign inside suggests. You'll find here the originals used by Bartali, Coppi, Merckx: looking at the Merckx one, see the gear he used ... There's also the bicycle Moser used in Mexico City in 1984 to improve hour record . Again there's a lot of original maillot (pink , yellow, rainbow ) belonging to all time champions. Every year on December 24th there's a religious meeting celebrating great champions that are no more here in this world. There is an eternal flame that burns there in memory of the cyclist of are no longer with us, and services each Christmas Eve and the Feast of All Souls commemorate them.