At a time of great upheaval in the sport, with the US Anti-Doping Agency's dossier on Lance Armstrong causing a tsunami of repercussions to professional cycling, the Italian cycling community has suffered the additional blow of the death of its great hero, Fiorenzo Magni.
Giro d'Italia organiser RCS Sport announced today that it would suspend any news coverage unrelated to Magni for the rest of the week on its newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, out of respect for his family.
Magni died overnight of an aneurysm at the age of 91.
In addition to covering only the legacy of the three-time Giro champion, RCS Sport said it will dedicate the maglia rosa, the pink race leader's jersey, of the 2013 Giro d'Italia to Magni, and on May 26 in Brescia, it will have a memorial for him.
Michele Acquarone, the managing director of RCS Sport, recalled Magni's advice. "Fiorenzo used to tell me: 'No one gives you anything for free in life, you have to fight everyday and try to improve yourself.' His panache and his courage will all be an example to follow, by me and by my sons. He will be greatly missed."
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