Eddy Merckx - 1976 - Molteni Campagnolo - Time Trial

Description:
Outstanding jersey worn by the cyclist legend Eddy Merckx!

Eddy Merckx in a rather rare outfit (white sleeves) during the final time trial in and around the Molteni Arcore factory buildings.

Iconic silk TT jersey made by Vittore Gianni used and worn by the "Cannibal" Eddy Merckx in 1976 to celebrate the end of the sponsor Molteni (1958-1976) in the professional peloton.

In fact, this jersey was made just for Eddy Merckx and was worn on 12 June 1976 for the 22nd stage A of the Giro d'Italia, a 28 kilometre time trial in Arcore, the headquarters of the sponsor Molteni. Eddy's teammate Joseph Bruyère won the time trial. Merckx finished fourth at 23 seconds of his lieutenant Joseph Bruyère. This was Eddy Merckx last Giro.

This 1976 jersey was also worn by Eddy Merckx in the time trial of the Tour de Romandie, Milan 6-day (Track) and A one-day track cycling meeting organized by the French Cycling Federation, bringing together several legends on the famous La Cipale velodrome in Paris, where the Tour de France's final finish took place from 1968 to 1974. Molteni was an Italian team sponsored by a salami manufacturer from Arcore, just outside Milan. It's worth noting that the last year of the Molteni team's involvement in the professional peloton, in 1976, was a very complicated one financially, with many of Eddy Merckx's team-mates facing salary arrears. Hence Eddy's use of this jersey many times in the same year. You can still see the trace of the number 1 stuck on the back of the jersey following its use in the 6 days of Milan 1976.

MOLTENI RETIRES FROM THE PROFESSIONAL PELOTON. The empire, however, soon collapsed. In the mid-1970s, Ambrogio Molteni was under investigation for tax evasion. Other suspicions weighed on the company, notably a scandal involving adulterated smuggled meat, the profits from which were allegedly used to pay the salaries of the team's stars. Merckx was never directly questioned, but had to face recurrent questions from the press on the subject. After a complicated 1976 in sporting terms (withdrawal from the Tour due to injury), the Belgian and eight of his team-mates set sail and joined Raphaël Géminiani's Fiat France team. Molteni, for his part, drew the curtain and disappeared from the peloton. His cycling adventure is over.

It is most famous for the period when Eddy Merckx raced for the team, but it had some very good riders and significant victories before his arrival in 1971. Still, it was Eddy Merckx who made Molteni’s name known everywhere, Molteni means Eddy Merckx!

The pre-1971 Molteni team colors were brown with a dark blue chest band. In 1971 the colors changed slightly and the brown became more of an orange brown, which Merckx called "Pumpkin", saying, "I know it’s name because it was to match the color of the paint of the team bikes."

Color: Orange brown with a deep blue chest band and white sleeves! Unique!

Condition: very good

• Manufactured from an 100% silk with chain-stitched lettering on the chest band and sleeves.
• Long length zip at the collar 12,5cm with world champion stripes
• No back pockets
• White short sleeves jersey
• Made in Italy by Vittore Gianni

Size: Medium

Armpit to armpit: 43cm

Length: 75cm

PLEASE NOTE to review carefully the photos to determine the condition.