Italian cycling is mourning the passing of Michele Dancelli, winner of Classics such as Milan-San Remo, as well as multiple Grand Tour stages.
A combative all-rounder, Dancelli rode professionally throughout the Eddy Merckx era, signing for Molteni in 1963 and embarking upon a 13-year career that also saw him ride in other Italian trade teams like Scic, Vittadello and Pepsi-Cola.
His one Monument victory, in the 1970 Milan-San Remo, was especially notable. It broke a 17-year deadlock in which no Italian riders had crossed the line first in this particular home race. During that time, riders from all of the ‘old’ cycling nations had added to the win tally, including Britain’s Tom Simpson. But on Dancelli’s day, 19 March, 1970, the Italian had broken away with 70km to go and built a lead of nearly two minutes.
“If you pull this off I’ll give you the whole factory!” his team boss Piero Molteni yelled as he powered towards the finish to win solo.
Up against the likes of Merckx and Felice Gimondi, Dancelli’s was not the easiest era in which to win the biggest races in the world. He was fourth in the Giro d’Italia on GC (1970) and sixth twice (1968, 69). But Dancelli did win 11 stages of his home tour, including a haul of four in 1970, which surely must count as his annus mirabilis. There was also a Tour de France stage along the way, taken at Thonon-les-Bains in 1969 – his only participation in that race.
He was described by Ernesto Colnago as an “instinctive, impulsive rider who did crazy things”, while the Italian journalist Gianni Mura dubbed him a “nomadic dreamer”. For his part, Dancelli seemed comfortable with either of those descriptions. A rider with talent, perhaps, but not always the right mindset required to make the most of it.
“I’ve always loved life,” he said. “If I’d had Gimondi’s mind, I’d have won everything, even the Grand Tours. I loved girls and the good life. Yes, I admit, I was a bit of a rascal.”
After retiring went into real estate, before later going into the business of organising cycling trips for leisure riders.
