Cadel Evans has gifted one of his World Champion “rainbow” jerseys to the Madonna del Ghisallo chapel near Bellagio in Italy.
In an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Evans says he’s honoured to hand over the jersey but admits he’s an atheist. The chapel’s priest, Don Luigi, is apparently praying that Evans stays upright although the World Champ adds jokingly that he should have donated the jersey before the Tour de France in order to benefit from the prayers.
Our Lady of Cyclists
The chapel is a unique relic of cycling and religion, being dedicated to cyclists and decorated with jerseys and bikes from the past, for example you can see Fausto Coppi’s bike and also the twisted steel frame of Fabio Casartelli. The chapel sits next to the road up from Bellagio and Lake Como, a tough climb of at least 20 minutes that is usually a strategic point in the Giro di Lombardia end of season classic. There’s also a handy fountain for passing cyclists to top up their bottles.