Breitling’s Tribute to a Mythical Rivalry

The sporting rivalry between Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali transcended war, politics, and history, all on a bicycle. This month, Breitling paid tribute to their legendary legacy with a duo of limited-edition watches. Discover the story of cycling’s greatest rivalry.

Source: press release

In sports, individual achievements – goals scored, or trophies won – fill record books and, over time, form a kind of aura around the men and women who accomplish them. The ancient Greeks and Romans already idolized their athletes, and millennia later, we continue to do so.

But champions cannot exist without competition. They need competition. They need rivals. In modern times, we think of Ali vs Frazier in boxing, Palmer vs Nicklaus in golf, Federer vs Nadal in tennis, or Messi vs Ronaldo in football.

For cycling enthusiasts, however, only one rivalry rises to the level of legend: Coppi vs Bartali. These two extraordinary athletes generated incredible fervor in the mid-20th century, and not just in Italy, their home country, where the tifosi were divided into two camps: the Bartaliani and the Coppiani. True European superstars, they were also ambassadors for the Breitling brand, a rare partnership for the time.

This month, Breitling paid tribute to them with a pair of limited-edition watches celebrating their epic rivalry. Let’s dive into the story that made them legendary. Gino Bartali, in addition to many other victories, won the Giro d’Italia three times (1936, 1937, 1946) and the Tour de France twice (1938, 1948). Fausto Coppi, also a multiple champion and a true cycling icon after World War II, won the Giro five times (1940, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953) and the Tour de France twice (1949, 1952).
Statistics, however, tell only part of the story.

Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali, opposites attract and the birth of a great rivalry

Bartali, born near Florence in 1914, was a conservative and a devout Catholic, who recited his prayers while pedaling. Coppi, born further north in Castellania (now Castellania Coppi) in 1919, was a free spirit, secular and non-conformist.

Bartali had a broad, boxer-like face and an imposing physique, while Coppi, more slender, had the charm of an actor. Bartali lived a long life, passing away in 2000 at the age of 85. Coppi died young, at only 40, from malaria contracted during a trip to Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso).

Their personal differences were reflected on the national stage, because in Italy, cycling was much more than a sport: it was a matter of identity, pride, and even politics. So much so that Mussolini waited until the end of the 1940 Giro to declare war. For Coppi and Bartali, the war years would reveal just how truly divergent their paths were.

Coppi enlisted in the Italian army, was captured in North Africa, and spent some time in prisoner-of-war camps before distancing himself from the regime. Bartali, for his part, belonged to Azione Cattolica – the only non-nationalist organization Mussolini allowed – and refused to enlist. Instead, he “trained” alone through the countryside: long rides that actually served as cover for a much more dangerous mission.

The two men who wore Italy’s colors were both champions, but they couldn’t have been more different.

The story goes that, hidden in the frame, saddle, and handlebars of his bicycle, were falsified identity papers. Bartali discreetly delivered them to Italian Jews, threatened with deportation and death. He never spoke of it publicly, revealing only rare snippets to his sons. Today, the full extent of his courage is measured: he is honored with the title of “Righteous Among the Nations” for saving over 800 lives and sheltering the family of a Jewish friend.

Although Coppi and Bartali were always “frenemies,” they shared much more than a competitive spirit. Their stories were also marked by grief, leading to an act of sporting truce that moved millions across Italy. The previous year, Coppi’s younger brother, Serse, also a professional cyclist, had died in a racing accident. Bartali, too, had lost a brother in a cycling accident. For a brief moment, grief brought them closer.

On a sweltering day during the 1952 Tour de France, on the steep slopes of the Col d’Izoard, they shared a bottle of water. This simple but symbolic gesture was immortalized by a photograph published in Lo Sport Illustrato. This image remained etched in the collective Italian memory. Even today, it embodies not only rivalry, but also camaraderie, empathy, and the discreet elegance of simple human decency.

Willy Breitling enters the scene

The notoriety of Coppi and Bartali, as well as the growing popularity of cycling, did not escape Willy Breitling. As early as 1937, the young entrepreneur made Breitling the official sponsor of the Tour de Suisse. Many partnerships followed, and in the post-war years, cycling became a welcome escape from the suffering left by World War II.

Willy Breitling, a passionate sportsman himself, was a fervent admirer of the discipline (though less fanatical than Benito Benaglio, Breitling’s Italian distributor, who regularly offered watches to both campionissimi). Attracted by the thrill and romance of racing, he saw in cycling the very embodiment of endurance, perseverance, and elegance.

Willy Breitling (leaning on a race car, left) was a key figure in cycling competitions, while Breitling’s famous pink van served as an unmissable mobile boutique!

Breitling quickly became the official timekeeper for Europe’s biggest cycling events: the Tour de France, La Flèche Wallonne, Milan-Sanremo, and the Giro d’Italia. In archive photos, Willy appears leaning out of a convertible pace car or sitting in his own Delahaye convertible, wearing headwear reminiscent of the French Foreign Legion. A visionary and shrewd businessman, he also knew how to play to the spectacle, always ensuring the presence of a Breitling van on site. This mobile boutique, painted pink to catch every eye, allowed spectators to buy watches directly at the heart of the event.

In the 1950s, Breitling even launched a limited edition dedicated to the Giro d’Italia. These watches, all stamped with reference number 1190, represented a sporty variant of the elegant Premier collection. Equipped with a Venus 188 lever chronograph caliber instead of the Venus 175 column wheel, they embodied the brand’s spirit of performance and elegance.

Tribute to the Campionissimi

Breitling’s affiliation with the two cycling legends ended in the mid-1950s, but Coppi and Bartali were never forgotten. This month marks the release of two commemorative Breitling Top Time watches. This collection of bold chronographs is the closest, in terms of aesthetics, to the ref. 1190 Giro d’Italia editions of the 1950s.
The Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi features turquoise subdials on a white dial, echoing the colors of Coppi’s bike. While the Top Time B01 Gino Bartali sports a blue dial with yellow accents, inspired by his illustrious jersey.

Both limited editions of 750 pieces proudly display the nicknames of the legendary cyclists on the tachymeter scale: “Il Campionissimo” (Champion of Champions) for Coppi, and “L’Intramontabile” (The Timeless) for Bartali. Their signatures at six o’clock add a personal and timeless touch. And if you look closer, a final tribute is revealed: fine brushed lines on the subdials, symbolizing two parallel paths — those of two legends who, despite the years, will continue to ride together.

The Top Time Coppi & Bartali limited editions are available in stores or at breitling.com.

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