What inspired the Santini Bergamo Collection?

Colle de Gallo

The Gallo Jersey represents the Tour-famous Colle del Gallo which has been raced in several Giro d’Italia tours – one most memorable being in 1976 when Eddy Merckx was the first to the top. The Colle de Gallo is a mountain pass that connects the Seriana Valley and Val Cavallina in the province of Bergamo. The climb stands at 736m and when riding from Albino in the west, is 10.5km to the top with the steepest section at a 9% gradient.

Exclusive image from Santini Production of the Colle de Gallo Jersey

The iconic ‘Madonna dei Ciclisti’ (Lady of the Snow) greets cyclists at the top of the hill in the Sanctuary of the Colle de Gallo. It’s where religion meets cycling. The greatest cyclists in the world have ridden and often stopped at this point of the climb, the last being in the 2009 Giro d’Italia. The monument is devoted to Our Lady who appeared at the mountain pass in 1690 and cyclists interpret the Madonna to protect them as they face the challenge to climb to the summit. On the 5th August every year, there’s a small celebration of ‘Our Lady of the Snow’  highlighting the commitment of those who face great challenges.

Berbenno Jersey

Forcella di Berbenno sits tall in the Alps at a 343m climb when cycling 8km up the mountain from Ponte Giurino. Standing tall at 708m in a Natural Park, the Forcella di Berbenno has a tranquil setting. Berbenno is a comune located in Imagna Valley, giving it a stunning scenery.

Santini Berbenno Jersey

The jersey in Santini’s Bergamo Collection dedicated to the Berbenno climb has been designed with a Dragonfly across the chest as a symbol of the Natural Park of the Valley.

Valcava Jersey

Antenna di Valcava is 18.4km in length with a 982m ascent to the top of the mountain. Belonging to the Alps, the Antenna di Valcava climb is surrounded by stunning scenery. The mountain resort, Valcava, has a history of winter sports as one of the very first ski resorts in Lombardy and the central Alps. It was active as a winter ski destination until the late seventies.

Valcava Jersey in Production

The jersey in Santini’s collection represents the climb to a T with its Radio Mast design inspired by one of many masts which sit at the top of the Valcava climb which is the site of the most important radio and television broadcasting centres in Italy.