Road to Valor: A True Story of WWII Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation Paperback – June 11, 2013

I have read a few books on the Tour de France. How the Tour originated as a means to sell newspapers; and how the tour united disparate parts of France into one modern country. Where politics had failed to unite France, cycling's grand international event, Le Tour, had won. So many dynamics go into the Tour, from business sponsorships to political jockeying. Also, the Tour de France has catapulted cyclist that come from obscurity to rock star status; from being mere bakers to being demigods, in a single season. However, one thing I hadn't read or was privy to was the way the Tour had united other countries like Italy. I was aware of the competition between Coppi and Bartali during the golden era of cycling. As a cyclist enthusiast and some one vested in the sport on almost a daily level, I enjoyed the detail into Bartali's life, his training, his failures and his victories on the bike. Its fascinating how cherished and how reviled cycling stars can be on a flick of a switch.What wasn't know to me was the political climate of Italy during that era—the Mussolini era. To say that Italians were divide is an understatement. Nothing divides countries more than politics. Our country is experiencing that as we speak. After reading this book, I can no longer flippantly call people or politicians fascist. Italian fascism, the place of its origin, was particularity brutal. All Italians suffered under the strain of political fascism. The current political climate in the USA is nowhere close to Italy in the 30s and 40s. All Italy was under the dark shroud of fascism and in particular those who helped Jews escape or hide. The book mentions the value of human life at the time in Italy was trifle, especially if you were found aiding or abiding Jews. It was a capital crime to help Jews. It was a capital crime to be anti-Fascist, especially if you were vocal about it. The climate in WWII Italy was nefarious and dark. The war effort also brought bleakness and hunger to Italy. The fascist ideology was heavily vested into flexing its military muscles and expanding by military might which brought rationing and its evil twin sister, hunger.Gino Bartali, the international racing star and dandy of Italian cycling had a lot to lose. The way the book lays it out, although he wasn't vocal about his distaste for the Mussolini regime, Gino Bartali’s actions and silence spoke volumes. His close association to the Catholic church also stamped his loyalties; as these two Italian monoliths, Fascism and Catholicism, were in stark opposition to each other.I enjoyed learning about the how the Catholic church had taken on the mantle of saviors to the Jewish people. It's come as a pleasant surprise. During the worst years Italian Jews faced, the church came to the rescue, organized relief efforts, printed false documents and hid Jews both young and old in their convents or found people willing to do so. This is something that was new to me and although the Mussolini regime was brutal, nothing compares to Germany's involvement in the holocaust. That is also mentioned in the book — how Mussolini was imprisoned by Italians and how Germany's elite special forces, in a daring plot, helped him escape. I would have liked reading a chapter devoted to this German military exploit, which was integral to that period of time in Italy and the fate of Jews afterwards.If Italian jews felt the strangulation of their fates during the Mussolini years, it became much worse after Germany helped him escape his imprisonment. From then on, SS Germans and Black shirt Fascist Italians, were on the prowl looking for Jews and those involved in helping them escape. The ante was up, and Italian Jews were being hunted mercilessly, if captured, being sent straight to Auschwitz. It was about this time that Gino Bartali was approached to help the cause by his trusted confessor, Cardinal Della Costa. Though this isn’t mentioned in the book, Della Costa is a Converso Jewish surname. I wonder if his helping Jews stemmed from his Jewish past…Again, if found out, it came at a terrible price, especially as Germany is now involved in the day-to-day policing of Italy.I would have liked to know how many Jewish families Gino Bartali helped during the Italian war time effort. Unfortunately, each key player was kept in secrecy about who and how the underground organization was involved. However, I would have contacted Israel and made a call form inquiry for any Italian Jews that fled from Italy during that epoch. The authors didn’t expand on that and I feel its extremely important and satisfying to know the results of one’s labor; especially since its investigative writing.Though one thing that the book really unfolds is how political the Tour de France was and remains to date. Fascist ideology requires that their subjects are the best physical specimens to be lauded. Mussolini and Hitler needed that accolade and both invested heavily in sporting events, of course the precedent was to win. When Gino won the Tour in 1938 he became the darling of the Fascist regime—he became the poster boy if Italian superiority. When Bartali didn’t acknowledge Benito Mussolini or his regime, during his acceptance speech, his welcome back home was frigid. From that point he face scrutiny form his black shirted fascist country men. If he wasn’t such a super star, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone if he was found dead, as some of his lesser known colleagues were found when they disrespected Il Duce.Its because if his incredible fame that Gino Bartali escaped death or imprisonment and helped him be an integral part of Italy’s clandestine operations. The book, Road to Valor, is a great piece of information in the puzzle of WWII war time activities, especially as it relates to Italy. I would have liked to see it unfold into more comprehensive accounts of others who helped the cause, or those who survived because of Gino Bartali’s involvement. I binge read the book in about three days, it reads well and its action packed and inspiring. Overall, the book is a must read, especially if you’re a cyclist, study Jewish history, or are Italian. I can see this being adopted into a movie. Though there is one out there as we speak, its boring, I think this book if adopted well can be a great adventure of daring and honor. Gino, like most war veterans didn't like to talk about his exploits or his fears; this book helps uncover a true hero, not only to Italy, but to humanity. The Talmud states: Whoever destroys a soul [of Israel], it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life of Israel, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.

Road to Valor is about the true story of Gino Bartali, a two time Tour de France champion who spent the WWII years transporting documents in connection with a Catholic Church organization to save Jewish refugees from Nazi occupiers and their Fascist collaborators.This is a very well researched work and consists really of two stories. One is the story of Gino Bartali's life, including his youth, his family life, and, of course, his bicycle racing activities. The other is about Italy both during Mussolini's reign and during the post war period.Gino Bartali's 1948 Tour victory is portrayed as having helped lift Italy out of its turmoil at the time, as there were riots between Communist and non-Communist factions at those years. Anyhow, a good read for cycling and Gino Bartali fans.

Just days ago, I finished reading the inspiring true story of the Italian cyclist Gino Bartali. He won the Tour de France at the age of 24, and incredibly did it a second time in 1948 when he was 34 years old, after the end of World War II. At the advanced age of 34, many thought that Bartoli was too old to win the race. But he did just that. Moreover, he had won the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) two times, in 1936, 1937 and also in 1946. Bartali's life is a testimony to heroic athleticism and the unswerving conviction of his Catholic faith. It was not unusual for him to attend Mass between stages in a race or to be reading about the lives of the saints. Bartali was a champion athlete but also a man of faith. The book is called Road to Valor and the authors are Aili and Adres McConnon.The story is divided into four sections: Gino Bartali's early life before World War II, his secret work to save Jews during the war, the 1948 victory of the Tour de France after the war and an Epilogue. Bartoli was only 24 years-old when he won the Tour de France and became known on the national and international stage. Sadly, it was also a time when the Fascists led by Benito Mussolini tried to exploit Gino's win for political purposes. The sporting win would have made for great propaganda to help push the Fascist ideology of the superman but Gino would not collaborate. He didn't even mention Mussolini in his victory speech after the 1938 Tour de France. Instead of the Fascist salute, he made the Sign of the Cross. He dedicated many of his wins to the Blessed Mother. This must have irritated Il Duce. It goes without saying that World War II cut short, like it did for all Italians, Bartali's cycling ambitions.When the Nazis occupied Italy, Bartali accepted to undertake the dangerous activity of delivering forged documents for Jews whose lives were in danger. He would hide the false identity papers in the seat of his bicycle and travel from Florence, his hometown and go as far as Assisi to save Jewish lives. Bartali even hid a family in his own cellar. To make it look like he was training, Bartali cycled wearing his racing jersey. It helped that Bartali could easily pass checkpoints simply because he was a public figure. Both German and Fascist soldiers recognized the great cyclist. The secret operation saved some 800 lives.After the suffering and destruction of the war, Bartali tries to get his cycling career back in gear. When he entered the Tour de France in 1948, few believed that he could win. He was considered too old and his best days behind him. Italians were more worried about the problems caused by the war than sports. There was much political instability. Strikes and riots broke out after the attempted assassination of Palmiro Tagliatti, the leader of the Italian Communist Party. Even though the Christian Democrats had won the election, most Italians didn't know who to trust after the war. Nevertheless, Bartali manages, with some government support, to enter the Tour de France. Against all odds he manages to find the strength and stamina to win the race for the second time, ten years after his first win.To get an idea of what Bartoli accomplished in 1948, it helps to know that the Tour de France is broken into 21 day-long races over a 23-day period. The distance covered is about 3,500 kilometres. Much of the route is hilly and mountainous. When Bartali won the race for the second time, he was 34 years old. By that time, he had married Adriana Bani in a simple ceremony in Florence. The long race is an incredible accomplishment for a young athlete, let alone an older one. Road to Valor tells one of those great stories of love, faith, fatherhood, courage and redemption in the face of suffering, death and adversity. Bartali gave the world an example of humanity and athleticism at its best. Once I started reading this book I could not put it down until I completed it.Bartali in thanking his teammates after an almost impossible win in 1948 at the Tour de France sums it best, "Everyone in their life has his own particular way of expressing life's purpose -- the lawyer his eloquence, the painter his palette, and the man of letters his pen from which the quick words of his story flow. I have my bicycle." About his dangerous underground work that not even his wife knew about, to save Jewish lives, he wisely observed, "If you're good at your sport, they attach medals to your shirts and then they shine in some museum. That which is earned by doing good deeds is attached to the soul and shines elsewhere." Bartali never forgot his humble roots and his faith in God.Bartali refused to play politics by siding with the Fascists. He did not say so publicly. However, he let his silence speak. He was a loyal member of the Catholic organization Catholic Action. Living with Fascism, Communism and Catholicism, he was true to his faith before and after the war. He was faithful to his wife, family and friends. He worked secretly with Cardinal Elia Della Costa of Florence to shelter and save thousands of Jews from being killed or sent to Nazi concentration camps. The SS Germans and Black shirt Fascist had no compassion for Jews or anyone who helped them. Many people, including Bartali and leaders in the Catholic Church risked their lives to save Jews. This is something that many still don't know about to this day. Bartali has been recognized by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, as Righteous Among the Nations.We don't know exactly just how much Bartali did to save Jewish lives because he would not talk about it. Bartali like many Italians, wanted to put the pain, suffering, death and destruction that the war had caused behind them. He lived the life of a true hero not just for the Italians but for the world. In saving the life of many Jews, Bartali also saved his own life. He rejected racial laws that tried to make Jews into inferior people. Living the truth and doing good lasts beyond the grave. Bartali's heroism in the face of evil is living proof of this.