Saturday, March 9, 2019

OBAT #6: Bianchi Reparto Corse Opens in 1992

Proving one of three points yet again:

  1. My translation of technical Italian is lacking
  2. Romance languages are terrible for technical descriptions, often scribbling a series of random 5-syllable words to describe something like "stiff"
  3. How much detail can you really give about a great steel frame?

Page 204 of La Bicicletta, May 1992. This is coverage of the inauguration of the Reparto Corse. As usual, translation below the image.



Bianchi Reparto Corse Opens

Thursday March 19, on the eve of the sign-in of Milan-San Remo. In Treviglio, a morning appointment at Bianchi for the official inauguration of the Bianchi Reparto Corse, the new operating company where special racing bikes for road and off road are born. An appointment honored by presence of champions who race aboard Bianchi bicycles and by many personalities from the sporting world. The event marks Bianchi's return to the pro racing ranks, after a two-year absence, and a much-needed return knowing the racing heritage of the brand.

The presentation was hosted within the new Reparto Corse. The reasons behind the creation of this Reparto Corse, structured as a new and separate company, were illustrated by Franco Brunetti, CEO of Fiv E. Bianchi, by Sporting Director Felice Gimondi and finally, by Enrico Maggioni, GM of the new Bianchi Reparto Corse.

The autonomy of the Reparto Corse was born for the sole purpose to create a truly technical cycling center through the study, experimentation and application of the most cycling resources available. The new society has asked for investments in terms of capital and for specialists of various sectors; investments undertaken in a very delicate moment for the market. This is proof positive to the degree that Fiv E. Bianchi believes in the future of the bicycle.

Assembly lines do not exist within the Reparto Corse. Here the mountain and road bikes are built with artisanal attention but using cutting edge materials and technologies.

The road line is made up of many model and versions developed on the base of nine different frames.

Completely renovated is the line of Bianchi Nth 1992 with five models of mountain bikes.

There are three principal objectives of the Bianchi Reparto Corse: research and development, design and construction of prototypes for competition, and the personalization and commercialization of these models for passionate cyclists.

Gianni Bugno and Franco Chioccioli revealed their positive feedback of these special Bianchi's when asked by host Davide De Zan. Maggioni and Gimondi revealed that in 1992, between professionals and amateurs, there are over 112 racers aboard Bianchi bicycles and 47 mountain bikers.

World Champions Bugno and Zanchi, the maglia rosa Chiocchioli and other racers present then cut the huge commemorative cake after the benediction given by don Piero Carnelli.

On the big screen, moving images of Coppi, Gimoni and other greats who wrote the story of cycling continued in rotation.

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