The Cipo appreciation thread

timoid.
timoid. Posts: 3,133
edited July 2009 in Pro race
In response to Eurostar's request, I think we should have a thread dedicated to all things Cipo. Here's one for starters:


cipo-caesar.jpg
It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.

Comments

  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    All hail Emperor Cipo!

    Here he is wearing my outfit:

    cipochamp.jpg
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • JC.152
    JC.152 Posts: 645
    23.jpg
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    This a good one - all in italian, but it doesn't really matter. Essentially it's a Jeremy Beadle style prank show. While out training, Mario is told by a friend that someone has stolen some of his favourite bikes and then a camper van passes him with them strapped on the back.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJomoEk81o4
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    10.jpg

    cipollini.jpg

    DSCN2004-739154.JPG
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,819
    FS025.jpg

    cipollini2ui2.jpg
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    Eurostar wrote:
    All hail Emperor Cipo!

    Here he is wearing my outfit:

    cipochamp.jpg

    I think that's from his World Championship year ;)
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • drenkrom
    drenkrom Posts: 1,062
    ouch! I'd forgotten the "skin peeled off" suit. How happy I was without that memory.

    Another Cipo classic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJomoEk81o4
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    One of my heroes too.

    3739999593_275c1d271a.jpg
    This next is when he won the second stage of the Giro at Cervia in 1997 and took the pink jersey.

    mariogiro.jpg
    I was fortunate enough to be right there at the finish and saw him cross the line, winning the sprint in great style. And later spraying first the crowd and then, when she thought she’d been spared, the podium girl behind with the champagne.
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Kléber wrote:
    DSCN2004-739154.JPG

    Where the hell is that?

    It looks like the lounge bar of some thirty-year-old cross channel ferry in desperate need of a refurbishment, with a gaggle of beer-thirsty Brits crowding the bar for a swift pint or three before reaching port.
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    Attica wrote:

    That was brilliant!
    Cipo joined the peloton for a few miles near his home in Lucca and then jumped ahead to the finish in Florence to see Mark Cavendish win his third stage of this year’s race.
    Fantastic! :lol: He "just" jumped ahead of an entire peloton and beat them to the finish, despite being retired! :lol: That's crazy power-tripping right there!
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    donaldinho wrote:
    0,1020,12515,00.jpg
    mariocipollini1.jpg


    The Tiger King!
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Where the hell is that? It looks like the lounge bar of some thirty-year-old cross channel ferry in desperate need of a refurbishment
    I hadn't noticed the decor at all :wink:
  • bobtbuilder
    bobtbuilder Posts: 1,537
    mario-cipollini.JPG
  • bobtbuilder
    bobtbuilder Posts: 1,537
    1.jpg
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    His first team jersey:
    _00040.jpg

    The early days, soon after winning his first Tour stage:
    300px-Mario_cippolini_.jpg

    Here's Super Mario on Ballando Con Le Stelle, "Dancing with the Stars" or the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing with Maradona and others (look towards the back on the left):
    gruppo.jpg

    To end on a more serious note, it's not just the women in this photo who were "enhanced" by a visit to the doctors. Cipo was sadly a client of Dr Ferrari, his palmares was no doubt enlarged by doping:
    183146-18.jpg
  • OffTheBackAdam
    OffTheBackAdam Posts: 1,869
    Here's one of our hero in yellow. I snapped it during the Tour, some years back!
    n697708983_1394904_125562.jpg
    Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.
  • I met him once in lucca, i'd just finished a ride and was looking in a bike shop window when this figure swished past, white specialised , white gear, no jersey on, very sun-tanned. it could only be mario, so i jumped on and caught him up (he was only going slowly).

    having seen him previously at paris tours where you couldn't get near him for screaming fans , i thought i had to say some thing so i sidled up alongside and said 'mario?' he replied 'si'. searching in vain through my large (!) italian vocabulary all i could think of was 'me inglese'. he said 'Hi'.

    after that i thought it respectful to drop back and sit on his wheel while we sped through lucca as the locals shouted 'mario' as he passed.
  • attica
    attica Posts: 2,362
    Kléber wrote:
    gruppo.jpg

    Going off topic a little, but why the cardboard cut out of Maradona?
    Wonder if Cav gave Cipo some tuition!
    "Impressive break"

    "Thanks...

    ...I can taste blood"
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    Wish Cav would indulge in some of these stunts, rather than cleaning his glasses as he crossed the line!!
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Some of those early sunglasses are ghastly. Thankfully you only see them on Audax rides nowadays.