Livio Trapè

Livio Trapé was one of the strongest cyclists in the history of amateur road racing in Italy. In three seasons as an amateur, he won an impressive number of classics races, was champion of Italy, and was gold medal winner at the Roma Olympics in the 100 km team time trial. In the individual road race he took the silver medal, losing out in the sprint finish to the Soviet Viktor Kapitonov.

Trapé turned professional in 1961 with the Ghigo team and almost immediately enjoyed success by winning the Giro di Campania. Nobody would have imagined, however, that victory would be his only one as a professional. During the 1961 Giro d’Italia he fractured his femur (thigh bone), but the following year enjoyed his finest moment when finishing second in the Giro di Lombardia behind Jo De Roo. Trapé competed in the Giro d’Italia three times but never managed to finish the race. His third place on stage 15 in 1964 was his best performance.

After four disappointing and injury-prone years, Trapé found himself without a contract and it was a sad ending for a cyclist with so much potential. In honour of his cycling achievements, Trapé, was awarded a gold medal by the Italian Olympic Committee and, in 2015, the Collare d’Oro for sporting merits.