Novi Ligure, via Castello, number 4. A low house, ground floor, first floor. Inside, a small courtyard. It seems strange now to imagine that, back then, it was the university of cycling. The most cutting-edge facility in the world dedicated to the science of bicycle sport.

A week ago, on May 16th at 10 o'clock, on the brick-colored wall facing via Castello 4, a plaque was affixed to commemorate that there, in that small house, in that courtyard, was the home and workshop, also the home and sanctuary of Giuseppe Cavanna, known to everyone as Biagio, though in Novi they called him even more simply E Biasu or L'Omun (here the consonants almost blend together, the O brushes against the U and the U embraces the O).

The Omone was an imposing figure. Big and burly (hence the augmentative), born premature (hence the credit for his magical powers), from cyclist he became masseur, trainer, director, owner of this university of cycling where he welcomed riders to eat and drink but almost never to sleep (he still had a wife and two daughters), to prepare themselves, train, wash up (a basin in the courtyard), to learn rules, respect hierarchies, acquire a sense of belonging. Cavanna, the discoverer (and much more) of Fausto Coppi. Cavanna, the guru of Ettore Milano (later his son-in-law) and Sandrino Carrea, somewhat less so for Serse Coppi, the mentor of Franco Giacchero and Michele Gismondi, to name just a few from that Siof gang and that Bianchi team that entered history.

Cavanna who saw more with his hands than with his eyes. Cavanna who saved or recovered those caught in the whirlpools of the Scrivia river. Cavanna, friend of bandit Sante Pollastri, his former colleague at the Carbonifera. Cavanna who had a booming voice and that voice thundered, rumbled, echoed, intimidated. Cavanna and that strong aroma of minestrone that welcomed riders and non-riders alike at via Castello 4. Cavanna with dark glasses and a beret, jacket and cuffed trousers, a walking stick within reach, seated at the foot of the courtyard stairs. Cavanna who began with Girardengo and ended with Coppi, the two Campionissimi. Cavanna who, to judge a rider – the quality of the wood – would touch the muscles of the neck and feel the calluses on the hands. Cavanna and the Sassello circuit. Cavanna, his college and his students, a hard life, the life of a cyclist, so much so that when – it was 1956 – Jacques Anquetil was invited to spend a few days as a special guest at via Castello 4, he gladly fled, he was a champion, but he far preferred oysters and champagne to minestrone.

At the celebration of the Omon were Rocchino Muliere, mayor of Novi Ligure, Stefano Moro, councilman of Novi Ligure with responsibility for Sport and Culture, Renzo Piccinini, president of the Centro Studi In Novitate association, Giampaolo Ghilardi, president of the historic Novi cycling association Pietro Fossati, and the managers of the Museum of the Campionissimi. Above all, Giampaolo Bovone and Bruno Guglielmini, custodians of time.