Eighty-three years old, from Florence, Italian amateur champion in 1962 and a professional a week later until 1978, Roberto Poggiali is part of the commission that awards the Golden Lily prizes. This is the second installment of his memories and stories, shared at the table, between one award and another, during last Tuesday's Golden Lily event.

AVENIR – "Tour de l'Avenir 1962. National teams. Stage tackled at 50 km/h. Single-file group. Pietro Partesotti in front of me. His rear wheel seemed flat. But we were going so fast that he hadn't even noticed. I let myself drift back to the team car and told the technical director, Elio Rimedio, 'Doctor, Partesotti has a puncture'. Rimedio was surprised that I was telling him and not Partesotti himself, then urged the driver to approach Pietro to warn him, stop him, and replace the wheel. That evening, in the hotel, at the table, Rimedio drew everyone's attention and then announced: 'From tomorrow, during the race, if I'm not there, consult Poggiali'. I was known as 'the little Tuscan', 'the clever one'. It was just an observant spirit."

FLANDERS – "Tour of Flanders, I think in 1968. General crash, a massacre, about fifty riders on the ground. I survived, found a gap on the sidewalk, passed through, and after about twenty kilometers at full speed rejoined the leading group. I saw Felice Gimondi, my captain and roommate at Salvarani, and told him, 'The race is here'. It wasn't true. Crossing a small town, in a curve, in the rain, I saw a child looking at his watch. I became suspicious. I reached a race commissaire and asked for information; he confirmed that two men were in a breakaway, a Frenchman and a Dutchman, with a 1'20" advantage. I went back to Gimondi and reported it to him. 'Who told you that?', he asked me."

GIMONDI – "He was a tough, severe, demanding captain. Sparse with words. Even with his teammates. One day, I suggested he thank, perhaps at the table, in front of everyone, two young domestiques. 'They deserve it', I said. 'If they hadn't pulled in the first part today, it would have been hard', I explained. 'And if you thank them, tomorrow they'll give you even more', I added. Gimondi thought for a moment, then said no, he wouldn't do it. 'It's their job, it's their duty', he concluded. After dinner, when everyone had gone to their rooms, I knocked on the door of those two young teammates, asked to enter, and told them that Gimondi had tasked me with thanking them for the precious work they had done for him during the stage."

ZANDEGU' – "Tour de France 1969. The twenty-first and penultimate stage, from Clermont Ferrand to Montargis, 329 km. Those who thought or hoped for a transfer stage were surprised: ready, go, Rini Wagtmans, a Dutchman, famous for having a white arrow, went on a breakaway. The group, annoyed, chased him. At full speed. Single file. But couldn't catch or spot him. Wagtmans had hidden and then joined back. And how he was laughing."

PEZZI – "During the years at Salvarani, at the beginning of the season, Luciano Pezzi would give each rider a booklet in which he had written all the races they were to participate in."

BARTOLOZZI – "As sports directors, I also had Ercole Baldini, Luciano Pezzi, and Alfredo Martini, but the best of all, with me, was Waldemaro Bartolozzi at Filotex. He wanted me to spare myself at the beginning to help Francesco Moser and only enter the action in the finale. 'I don't want to hear about you on race radio', he would command me."

SWITZERLAND – "Tour of Switzerland 1970. I won the gold jersey. In the general classification, five riders were trailing me by 10 seconds. One evening, Rudi Altig, my former captain at Salvarani and in that circumstance teammate of Louis Pfenninger, told me that if I let go, there was a check ready. 'Rudi – I replied – I'll pretend I didn't hear anything'. Gimondi had seen and understood, and was furious. 'Felice – I reassured him – the race is raced'. We were arriving at Finhaut, four huts at the top of a climb in Valais. At the front, it was just me and Gimondi, alone. I urged him to insist, to increase. 'Felice – I declared – I don't want to drop you, but they are down there'. First Gimondi, second me, third Bitossi. And then I won the final classification by a minute precisely over Pfenninger."

(end of the second and last installment)