Serse Coppi was an Italian cyclist who was born in Castellania on March 19, 1923 and passed away in Turin on June 29, 1951.
Along with his brother, Serse Coppi began his professional cycling career in 1946 with the Italian team Bianchi. In 1949, his greatest accomplishment was winning the Paris-Roubaix race. However, the triumph was contested, as French cyclist André Mahé was named the winner at first. Due to a police officer’s oversight, Mahé and two other riders approached the finish line from the incorrect direction. Serse Coppi won the main field sprint and was ultimately crowned a co-winner alongside Mahé.
Serse Coppi’s career was tragically cut short when he perished in a cycling accident during the Piemont-Rundfahrt event in Turin in 1951. During the last sprint, he collided with a tram rail, fell, and struck his head. After the accident, he returned to his hotel, but his condition deteriorated, and he was rushed to the hospital. A cerebral hemorrhage tragically caused his death before he could have surgery.
Serse Coppi and his older brother Fausto, who died at the age of 40 in 1960, share a tomb at the cemetery of their hometown, Castellania. Although having a brief career, Serse Coppi influenced the sport of cycling, and his legacy lives on in the hearts of his supporters.
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1949 | Joint winner of Paris-Roubaix |
| 1949 | 6th place in Giro d’Italia |
| 1949 | 6th place in Tour de France |
| 1949 | 2nd place in Tour of Belgium |
| 1950 | Winner of Milan-Turin |
| 1951 | Winner of Giro di Toscana |
| 1951 | 3rd place in Milan-San Remo |
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